WINTER 2020

BLUE BULLETIN MEMBER NEWSLETTER

tips and tools for making better healthcare decisions

HEALTH SMART

What’s also in this issue:Healthy To-Do List Page 4

Heart-Forward Health Page 6

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MA

Table of ContentsA Note from the CEO 1A little prevention goes a long way when it comes to healthcare.

Have a Healthier Winter 2Simple steps to stay healthy all season.

Your Healthy To-Do List 4Make a plan for your annual wellness visit and routine screenings.

Using Your Over-the-Counter Benefit 5OTC benefit is now provided by OTC Health Solutions.

Stay Heart Healthy 6Keep your heart strong with simple steps.

Winter Walking 8Avoid falls when the path gets slippery.

What Your A1c Actually Means 9How does an A1c test impact your diabetic care?

Free Programs Helps Prevent Diabetes 9A few simple steps can help you stay safe all summer long.

Diabetes and Mental Health 9Your emotional wellbeing plays a role in diabetes management.

Our New LookOne in three Americans are insured by a Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) company, but more than half of these members don’t know that BCBS offers Medicare plans. To promote more awareness of Blue Cross of Idaho’s Medicare Advantage options, we changed our logo to make our association with Medicare more visible.

Charlene Maher

President and CEO, Blue Cross of Idaho

A Note from the CEOIn the past, most of us approached healthcare as a service you used when something was wrong. You went to your doctor when you were sick or injured and did not think much about it the rest of the time. Now, people are starting to think of healthcare in a new way – as something that does not just deal with problems, but that helps prevent them in the first place.

Preventive care is a key part of living your healthiest life. With services like regular wellness visits with your doctor, routine screenings like mammograms, colonoscopies and blood-sugar level tests, and preventive measures like vaccines for the flu or shingles, you can help maintain your health.

These services can help you identify new and potential issues before they become more serious. Catching health issues early usually means they respond better to treatment, leading to better outcomes.

At Blue Cross of Idaho, we recognize the vital importance of preventive care and encourage everyone to take full advantage of their preventive care benefits. Many routine preventive services are covered at no cost to you, so using them can not only help you stay healthier, but also save you money.

If you have questions about which preventive services are covered as part of your plan, call the Blue Cross of Idaho Customer Service Department at the number on the back of your member ID card and one of our customer advocates will be happy to help you.

At Blue Cross of Idaho, we believe that people matter most, which is why we are here to help make sure you have easy access to the kind of preventive care that can help you and your family live your healthiest lives.

Discrimination is against the law. Blue Cross of Idaho and Blue Cross of Idaho Care Plus, Inc. (collectively referred to as Blue Cross of Idaho) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. ATTENTION: If you speak Arabic, Bantu, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Persian (Farsi), Romanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Tagalog, or Vietnamese, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-800-627-1188 (TTY: 1-800-377-1363). Chinese: 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助

服務。請 致電 1-800-627-1188 (TTY：1-800-377-1363)。Spanish: ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-800-627-1188 (TTY: 1-800-377-1363).

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Winter. Love it or hate it, it’s here. There may be ideal thoughts of playing in the snow, building snowmen or snuggling by a warm fire. But that’s not always the reality. With winter comes shorter, darker days, colder temperatures and winter woes like the flu.

Research shows that being cold can negatively impact the immune response. This makes it harder to fight off infections. And, when it’s cold out, it can be harder to stay motivated to exercise. You want to shut the doors and windows tight, bundle up and hibernate. Less physical activity can weaken your immune system. Plus, viruses thrive indoors and spread easier when people are close to each other.

But there are ways you can stay healthier this winter.

Squash germs

• Get your flu shot

• Wash your hands often

• Toss used tissues right away

• Don’t share drink or food containers

• Don’t share pens or cell phones

• Keep antibacterial spray or gel handy

Winterize your workout

• Dress for the weather by wearing breathable layers

• Take your workouts indoors at a local gym, where you can try new classes

• Work out at home with DVDs or online videos

• Workout with friends to hold each other accountable

Up your nutrition game

• Eat more fiber to help boost the immune system function

• Enjoy foods high in vitamin D, such as fatty fish, mushrooms and eggs, as vitamin D helps regulate the immune system

• Consume complex carbs paired with protein, since carbs can elevate serotonin, improving your mood

• Drink your water - staying hydrated may help prevent viruses and bacteria from making you sick once you’ve been exposed

HAVE A HEALTHIER WINTER

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Feeling the Winter Blues?You’re not alone. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Research suggests that the reduced amount of daylight leads to lower production of serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate mood. Some with SAD may also have lower levels of vitamin D. This can all lead to feeling depressed and fatigued. If you find yourself experiencing any of the following, call your doctor. There are treatments that can help, such as light therapy and vitamin D.

• Less energy and fatigue

• Trouble concentrating

• Increased appetite

• Desire to be alone

• Weight gain

HAVE A HEALTHIER WINTER

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Your Healthy To-Do ListGetting the most out of your health planA yearly wellness exam can help you stay on track to good health. It’s a great opportunity to talk to your doctor about your general health, any questions you might have, as well as get important preventive screenings, including:

• Colon cancer • Diabetes

• Mammograms• Bone density

Your doctor may also talk to you about other important health topics, including:

• Improving physical activity• Mental health • Reducing the risk of falling

• Urinary incontinence• Vaccines for pneumonia and the flu

An annual wellness visit is covered at no cost to you as a preventive benefit. It’s a great way to not only get the most from your health plan benefits, but to live your healthiest life.

CHECK WHEN COMPLETED HOW OFTEN WOMEN MEN DATE SCHEDULED

❒ Annual wellness exam Every 12 months ❒ Blood pressure test At least every year* ❒ Cholesterol test Every 5 years* ❒ Body mass index test Every year ❒ Bone mass measurement Every 1-2 years ❒ Breast cancer screening Ask my doctor ❒ Colon cancer screening Ask my doctor ❒ Diabetes screening (A1C) At least every year* ❒ Flu vaccine Every year ❒ Pneumonia Vaccine Once after age 65

Healthy To-Do List

*Your doctor will help you decide if you need more frequent screenings.

MDLIVE - Help is just a phone call awayFind care 24/7 when your primary care provider (PCP) isn’t available. MDLIVE gives you access to a board-certified doctor anytime you need care for a non-emergency.

Save time and out-of-pocket costs when you take advantage of a virtual doctor’s office visit over the phone, by video or through a mobile app. They give you the non-emergency care you need privately and conveniently without making a trip to the doctor’s office or clinic.

To sign up, download the app, call 844-296-8784 (TTY: 1-800-770-5531) or visit bcidaho.com/newsletters/ma to learn more about this program.

Meet Sophie, your personal health assistant!

Using your smart phone, just text “bcimed” to

MDLIVE (635483).

Written in the StarsMedicare gives us a 4.5 Star Rating

Our members and their satisfaction with their health plans matter most. That’s why we are always looking for ways to improve and serve our members better.

Each year the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) compares Medicare Advantage plans across the country and gives each plan a rating of up to 5 Stars. Blue Cross of Idaho and other plans are rated by member surveys, our internal efficiency and accuracy, and quality measures based on the health of our members.

True Blue HMO received an overall Star Rating of 4.5 out of 5 Stars for the 2020 plan year. This score combines all of our plan’s scores and is one of the highest in the state of Idaho.

We are always improving and always striving to offer our members affordable plans with the coverage and benefits they expect. We will never stop working to provide you with the best customer service and experience possible.

*Star Ratings are based on 5 Stars. Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. The number of stars shows how well our plan performs. 5 stars - excellent 4 stars - above average 3 stars - average 2 stars - below average 1 star - poor

Start Using your Over-the-Counter BenefitYour over-the-counter (OTC) benefit is a fast and convenient way to get generic OTC health and wellness products by phone, mail or online.

This year, we’ve partnered with OTC Health Solutions to help you get the supplies you need. Simply order from a list of approved OTC items, and OTC Health Solutions, will mail them to you.

Your OTC benefits gives you a $40 allowance to spend each quarter. If you haven’t taken advantage of the benefit this year, you still have time to use it before it resets at the beginning of April.

The allowance will reset again in July, October and January.

Call 888-628-2770 (TTY: 711)

to order an OTC catalog today.

Register and order online anytime at BCIdahoOTC.com.

5Powered by Blue Cross of Idaho Care Plus, Inc.

Heart-Forward HealthOur hearts do a lot for us, so it’s time we start doing a lot for them. By leading a healthier lifestyle through actions like eating better and exercising more, you can help prevent heart problems like hypertension (typically caused by high blood pressure), high cholesterol and high blood sugar levels. High levels of these readings can affect other areas of your body as well. So, by working to lower these numbers, you’ll improve your overall health.

Eat HealthyOne of the easiest ways to prevent heart problems is with a healthy diet. Stay away from saturated fats, too much sodium and high sugar doses to keep your levels low. A healthy, well-balanced meal has four ingredients:

• Protein

• Vegetables

• Grains and fruits

• Healthy fats

When including these nutritious foods in your daily meal plan, follow this guide for the suggested amounts of these food choices:

LEAN PROTEIN VEGGIES FRUITS/GRAINS HEALTHY FATS

One portion of lean protein (four to five ounces)

One cup of cooked veggies or two cups of raw veggies

One serving of grains (three quarters of a cup to one cup) and one serving of fruit (one cup)

May add one half to a full tablespoon of healthy oil or nut butter

Eating the right foods can help curb your cravings for foods that are bad for your heart, like those that are fried and overly processed. Fiber is especially important because it promotes hearth health, healthy digestion and weight maintenance. A healthier diet not only helps your heart but can keep you fueled so you can tackle your other daily tasks.

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Exercise RegularlyAnother way that you can manage your heart health is to add exercise to your routine. Even just 30 minutes a day can make a difference. Regular exercise can help raise your HDL cholesterol levels, the healthy cholesterol that helps keep your arteries from getting clogged.

Here are a few different kinds of exercises that you can include in your day-to-day activities:

• Go on a quick walk or jog for 30 minutes

• Lift weights

• Practice yoga

Exercising regularly and eating healthy foods can make it easier to keep a healthy weight, which can help your blood pressure and other levels stay low.

Other Helpful TipsPracticing ways to reduce stress can also be a great way to help you lower your risk of high blood pressure.

Try out these stress-relieving activities:

• Deep breathing

• Meditation

• Muscle relaxation

Lastly, avoid smoking and quit if you do. Your lungs, teeth, skin and throat will also thank you.

Start NowBy taking these actions to heart, you can start your journey to a healthier heart and lifestyle. Each of these tactics has a ripple effect to improve other parts of your health and life and are not isolated to one blood-pumping muscle.

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Ready for Winter WalkingA Straight Up Guide to Avoiding a FallIt’s that time of year again when outdoor surfaces are more hazardous with rain, snow and sleet. As conditions get tougher outside, there are things you can do to stop yourself from slipping and falling on the unforgiving ground.

Dress right for the cold outside. Bundle up and wear layered clothing to keep your muscles warm and relaxed. When your muscles tighten up in the wintertime chill, this can affect your mobility and increase the risk of an unexpected fall. Also, make sure you wear sturdy shoes with good traction.

Keep your driveway and sidewalks clear of ice and snow. Be careful when getting out of your car. An unexpected slippery surface like black ice may be waiting for you when you get out.

• Budget a little more time to get where you are going in the wintertime so that you are never in a hurry to arrive. Be mindful and methodical when you walk. Pay attention to your surroundings and avoid taking shortcuts that may tempt you to save a few more seconds in your journey. Having a more leisurely approach to your walking is also good for your mental health, keeping you calm, collected and more alert to unsafe situations.

• Be careful inside your home. Your floors become hazardous when they are wet with rainwater or melted snow tracked in from outside. Keep your floors dry and clear of obstacles like power cords and small tables. Use rugs that have a slip-resistant backing. Make sure your home has adequate lighting in the darker winter months.

• Vision and hearing problems can increase your risk of falling. Discuss your eyesight and hearing with your doctor to determine if you need to correct any issues. Bring a list of your medications to discuss any side effects that might impair your senses.

• When the cold weather arrives, you may be tempted to stay indoors and hibernate. It’s important to stay active and keep your body moving in the winter months. Believe it or not, sedentary living could add to your risk of falling. When you keep your body active by adding physical activity to your day, like walking, tai chi or yoga, you improve your strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. Discuss a physical routine with your doctor to make sure you have a program that’s not too strenuous or risky.

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Don’t Forget Your A1cWhat does your A1c level mean and how does it impact your diabetic care?

If you have diabetes, getting your A1c tested is a good way to keep your health in check.

The A1c test measures your average blood glucose level over the previous three months. The lower your A1c value, the lower your risk for heart attacks, kidney failure and eye disease. The test does not replace daily monitoring with your blood sugar meter. It helps your doctor see how your diabetes is progressing and if your treatment plan needs to be changed.

You want your A1c to be 7 percent or lower. That means your blood is thin enough to not put extra pressure on your blood vessels and your heart does not have to pump as hard. If your A1c is 8 percent or higher, your blood vessels and heart are under more pressure. This can lead to serious health risks like heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness or even amputations.

You and your doctor should talk about a treatment plan to keep a healthy A1c level. Good nutrition and an active lifestyle are a few simple ways to stay on top of your diabetes. Your doctor will tell you how often to have an A1c test, but diabetics should have it tested at least twice a year.

Diabetes and Mental HealthEmotional wellbeing is an important part of diabetes management

Dealing with a chronic condition like diabetes can be a lot of work: You have to monitor your blood sugars and medication, watch what you eat, get enough exercise – it can feel overwhelming. Feeling overwhelmed can make you anxious, tired or even think about quitting your maintenance routine.

Diabetes distress can leave you feeling worried, frustrated and burnt out. It’s important to recognize these emotions and talk to someone about them. Ask your doctor if you have these feelings and he or she can guide you to the resources you need to help you cope. You can also talk to one of our case managers who can help connect you with useful tools.

Feeling in control of your emotional wellbeing can help you better manage your diabetes on a daily basis.

Medicare Diabetes Prevention ProgramBlue Cross of Idaho and Solera Health have teamed up to continue offering qualified members a benefit that matches members to wellness and other weight loss programs with the goal of reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Let’s see if you qualify. Simply take a one-minute quiz at solera4me.com/bcidaho. If you qualify, here’s what you can expect from the benefit:

• Enrollment in a lifestyle program of your choice (a $400 value) at no cost

• Courses on nutrition and exercise

• Access to a health coach

• Tools like a digital scale for easy weight loss tracking

• No out-of-pocket costs

Questions? Call 1-833-868-6895 (TTY: 711) or email support@solera4me.com.Learn more about this program by visiting bcidaho.com/newsletters/ma.

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Contact Us

3000 E. Pine Ave. Meridian, ID 83642

Health & Wellness or Prevention Information

1-888-494-2583 (TTY 1-800-377-1363). We are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week, October 1 to March 31, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, April 1 to September 30.

Website: medicare.bcidaho.com

Email: macs@bcidaho.com

Access the information on your mobile phone.

Published by Blue Cross of Idaho. © 2020 by Blue Cross of Idaho Care Plus Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, with services provided by Blue Cross of Idaho. All rights reserved. No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement – not take the place of – the recommendations of your healthcare provider. Consult your physician before making major changes in your lifestyle or healthcare regimen. Blue Cross of Idaho makes no endorsements or warranties regarding any of the products and services included in this publication or its articles.

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