Stress and your physical health Did you know that stress can

Transcription

1 source A guide to your health plan When you see HIL at the end of a story, just call Then, enter the four-digit code to hear recorded health messages from our Health Information Library. Third Quarter 2011 Check it out: The skin you re in Checking your skin regularly for suspicious moles could save your life. Skin cancer has a high cure rate if it s caught early. To do a skin exam, look over your entire body. Skin cancer can occur on any part of your body not just in areas that get sun. This means you have to examine your scalp and underarms and the spaces between your toes, as well as the rest of your body. What you re looking for is any change in a mark on your skin. This includes any mole that is: Changing in size, shape or color Different from the others Itching or bleeding. Also look for a: Brown or black streak under your nails Sore that doesn t heal Scar that feels waxy. Tell your provider right away if you find any of these things. Source: American Academy of Dermatology Stress and your physical health Did you know that stress can increase your chances for a cold? The emotional problems caused by stress anxiety, guilt and big mood swings are often obvious. But the physical problems may be less so. Stress can affect the body. Stress can increase the chances for obesity, infections, age-related diseases and even certain cancers. Stress triggers It s only in the last half-century that we ve been able to [see what stress does to] everything from the common cold to herpes and AIDS, says Paul Rosch, of The American Institute of Stress (AIS). Poverty, lack of support and the pace of life can cause stress but different things affect different people. Stress on your body Stress can cause: A greater chance of heart Habla español y necesita ayuda con esta carta? Llámenos gratis al disease, diabetes and certain cancers More colds A strain on conditions such as AIDS, HIV, herpes, cancer and arthritis. Signs of stress:» More colds» Trouble sleeping» Headaches» Feeling run down. What you can do:» Exercise» Manage your time better» Set realistic goals» Relax with meditation or yoga» Get support from family and friends» Get a hobby. No one thing works for everyone. Be sure to do what works best for you.

2 women s health Is it time for your mammogram? Law forbids unfair treatment State and federal laws do not allow unfair treatment in TennCare. No one is treated in a different way because of race, beliefs, language, birthplace, disability, religion, sex, color or age. You have the right to file a complaint if you think you are not getting fair treatment. By law, no one can get back at you for filing a complaint. To complain about: Health care, call Mental health care, call Dental care, call La ley prohíbe el tratamiento injusto Las leyes estatales y federales no permiten el trato injusto en TennCare. Nadie recibe un trato diferente debido a su raza, creencias, idioma, lugar de nacimiento, discapacidad, religión, sexo, color de la piel o edad. Usted tiene el derecho de presentar una queja si piensa que no ha sido tratado de manera imparcial. Por ley, nadie se puede vengar porque usted reclame. Para quejarse acerca de la: Atención médica, llame al Atención de salud mental, llame al Atención dental, llame al TennCare offers many health benefits, including mammogram screenings. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. It is used to check for breast cancer and other problems. It can help find a lump that is too small to feel. Finding cancer early can help make it easier to treat. Mammograms are covered: A minimum of once for people ages 35 to 40 Every two years, or more often if your doctor says it is needed, for people ages 40 to 50 Annually for people ages 50 and older. Mammogram screenings are free. There is no copay. Talk to your PCP about getting a mammogram. You can call Customer Service for help with scheduling your appointment and transportation. The number is HIL 5248 Did you know? American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than non-hispanic white people. African-Americans are 2 times more likely. Hispanics are 1.9 times more likely. Diabetes can cause serious health problems and even death. Know your risk for diabetes, and talk to your doctor to find out ways to prevent it. 2

3 children s health Well-child visits A key to keeping kids healthy A doctor s office isn t just for you about issues such as: sick kids. Teething In fact, a good way to Safety keep kids healthy is to see their Potty training. provider when they are well. Well-child checkups should These checkups are called wellcontinue through the teen years. child visits. And they give your Teens face their own special child s provider a chance to make issues, such as peer pressure, sure your child is healthy and emotional problems, and school growing strong. or learning difficulties. Your child s At these visits, your provider will provider is a great source of make sure your child s health is on information for kids at this age. track. For example, he or she will check that your Checkups help your child can do things like provider make sure that roll over, babble, sit up and your child is growing strong. walk when he or she ought to. Your child will also: These checkups are also a great Be weighed and measured time to ask questions of your Get any needed vaccines own. If you have questions or Have his or her eyes, ears, heart, concerns about things like your mouth and other body parts checked. child s behavior, nutrition or sleep Your provider can also talk to problems, ask your provider for help. 3 TennCare pays for wellchild checkups (also called TENNderCare visits). Important information about TENNderCare checkups: They are FREE for TennCare kids up to age 21 Each visit includes lab tests and immunizations your child might need You can get a free ride to the doctor s office, if you need one. To learn more about TENNderCare visits, or to schedule a ride to the doctor s office, call Customer Service. The number is on the back of this newsletter. Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

4 member news Your safety comes first TennCare takes the safety of its members seriously. That s why TennCare only covers services that are medically necessary. To be medically necessary, a service must be: Ordered by a treating health care provider Required to diagnose or treat the member s condition Safe and effective Not experimental The least costly alternative that is adequate for the member s condition. The best value For example, home health and private-duty nursing is a covered benefit when medically necessary and when prescribed by an attending doctor. The treatment and services must be provided by a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse who is not an immediate relative. However, if an intermediate or skilled-nursing facility can provide the required care at a lower cost than private-duty nursing, the member has two options: Get services from a nursing facility Have home health care or private-duty nursing up to the amount allowed for facility care. By paying for the effective service that costs the least, TennCare is able to provide more people with health care benefits. And that s good news for everyone. Help to stop tobacco use Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do to protect the health of your unborn baby. The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine is available to help. Call QUIT-NOW, or The service is free to all Tennessee residents who want to stop smoking or using spit or chew tobacco. Callers are assigned a coach who will give one-on-one help to make a plan to kick tobacco use for good and provide tips to stay on track. The QuitLine is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time. Counseling is available in both Spanish and English. For QuitLine services for the deaf and hard of hearing, call To learn more about quitting tobacco use and the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine, visit health.state.tn.us/ tobaccoquitline. htm. HIL 3361,

5 wellness Check up on your health A little prevention goes a long way It s important to pay attention to your health, even when you feel good. This can help you stay well in the long run. That s why you need regular screening tests and checkups with your doctor. These visits can help find any problems early. That often means that treatment can be more effective. Seeing your doctor can also help keep a problem from developing in the first place. Before your checkup, find out your family health history. Your doctor will need to know if your close family members had health problems such as:» Heart trouble» Stroke» Diabetes» Cancer. Also, tell your doctor about any changes in your own health. That includes:» New lumps» Skin changes» Pain» Feeling dizzy» Trouble sleeping» Changes in eating or bathroom habits. Your doctor can then tell you what screenings to have and when to have them. What tests do I need? You might need tests for: Cholesterol. High cholesterol can put you at high risk for heart disease. This blood test is for: Most men starting at age 35 Most women starting at age 45. Blood pressure. Have this checked at least once every two years. High blood pressure can raise your risk of heart and kidney disease and stroke. Diabetes. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you should get tested for diabetes. Colorectal cancer. Most adults should have their first exam at age 50. There are different kinds of tests you can have. Ask your provider which one is right for you. Women might also need tests for: Breast cancer. Your provider may suggest that you get a mammogram every one or two years starting at age 40. Cervical cancer. Pap smears are often done every one to three years after first having sex or when you turn 21. Osteoporosis. A bone density scan should be done at least once beginning at age 65. Men should talk to their doctors to learn more about prostate cancer screening. Also, men who smoked 100 or more cigarettes during their lifetime should have an abdominal aortic aneurysm test between ages 65 and 75. Your doctor can tell you more about which screenings are right for you. Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Know your risk and get tested for chlamydia Did you know that if you are sexually active you may be at risk for chlamydia? Chlamydia is one kind of sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can be very serious. It may have mild signs or none at all. If not treated, 5 chlamydia can make it hard for you to have a baby. Risk factors include having new or multiple sex partners, having sex with someone who has other partners, and not using barrier contraceptives, such as condoms. You can ask your doctor if you need a chlamydia screening test when you get your yearly wellwoman checkup. TennCareSelect will pay for the chlamydia test for women up to age 29 if your doctor recommends it. HIL 9571

6 Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID St. Cloud, MN Permit No T take action TALK TO A NURSE* anytime day or night TennCareSelect Customer Service Call about your physical and mental health care or drug or alcohol abuse; your health plan; help for free interpretation and translation services; or to ask for TENNderCare information in formats for members who are blind or deaf, cannot read, or do not speak English. M F, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time (ET). Calls received after normal business hours will be forwarded to voice mail TDD/TTY (only for members with impaired hearing): TennDent Customer Service** Call about dental (teeth) care for people under age 21. M F, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Family Assistance Service Center (TennCare hotline) Call about: Applying for TennCare Appeals to get or keep TennCare Note: This newsletter is not meant to take the place of your doctor s advice. This document is classified as public information. *A service of an independent company serving TennCareSelect members. **An independent company serving TennCareSelect members. A government agency. TennCare premiums and copays Change of address or income Programs like food stamps or Families First. M F, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET English: Nashville: Spanish: TDD/TTY (only for members with impaired hearing): Report possible fraud Call to report TennCare fraud or abuse. TennCare: Medicaid: TennCareSelect: Dental: Transportation* If you need a ride to see your doctor, to get medical or behavioral care, to go home after a hospital discharge or to go to the pharmacy to get prescription medicine, call toll-free Schedule a ride at least three days in advance. If an urgent situation arises and you can t give a threeday notice, a ride can be arranged. In case of bad weather, a ride will be provided only if the place you are going is open. source 1 Cameron Hill Circle Chattanooga, TN vshptn.com Volunteer State Health Plan, Inc. (VSHP), and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Inc. (BCBST), are independent licensees of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. VSHP is a licensed HMO affiliate of BCBST. We do not allow unfair treatment in TennCare. No one is treated in a different way because of race, color, birthplace, religion, language, sex, age, or disability. Do you think you ve been treated unfairly? Do you have more questions or need more help? If you think you ve been treated unfairly, call the Family Assistance Service Center for free at In Nashville, call Copyright 2011 Coffey Communications, Inc. WHN26712p Do you need help with this letter? Is it because you have a health, mental health, or learning problem or a disability? Or do you need help in another language? If so, you have a right to get help, and we can help you. Call TennCareSelect at Do you have a mental illness and need help with this letter? The TennCare Partners Advocacy Line can help you. Call the line for free at If you have a hearing or speech problem, you can call us on a TTY/TDD machine. Our TTY/TDD number is