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Don t Lose Your BMC HealthNet Plan Membership! If you want to keep your BMC HealthNet Plan membership,

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For members of BMC HealthNet Plan May 2003

Don’t Lose Your

BMC HealthNet

Plan Membership!

I

f you want to keep your BMC HealthNet Plan membership, you must continue to qualify for MassHealth coverage. So it’s so important to renew your MassHealth eligibility. Your MassHealth

usually expires after one year. Close to the time when your eligibility will end, MassHealth will mail you an Eligibility Review Verification (ERV) form. You must fill out

the ERV form and return it to MassHealth right

away. If you’re eligible,

this is how you’ll keep your MassHealth coverage – and your BMC HealthNet Plan membership

Need help?

If you need an ERV form or need help filling out the form, call BMC HealthNet Plan’s

Member Services Call Center. The number is 1-888-566-0010.

Can You

Identify this

Illness?

Nearly one million

people are diagnosed each year. That includes adults and children. It can cause complications like stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure and blindness. And although there are several types of this disease, it can be

controlled, and sometimes even prevented.

If you haven’t already guessed the answer, the disease is diabetes. Look on pages 3 and 4 to learn

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Do I need to tell

you if I move?

Yes. It’s very important that you tell us anytime information about you

changes. Please call us when you move or change your phone number. You should also tell us if you change your primary care physician. The number to call is

1-888-566-0010.

How do I pick a

primary care

physician (PCP)?

Picking a PCP from the BMC HealthNet Plan net-work is very important. This doctor will provide or

arrange for your care. If you need help choosing a PCP, you can call our Member Services Call Center. The number is 1-888-566-0010.

Your

Frequently

Asked

Questions

m

embers

just for

O

ne of your “extra” member benefits is over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. This free benefit requires a prescription. One reason is that these medicines have side effects. They also may interfere with other drugs you may be taking. Medicines should only be taken as directed by your doctor. That’s why we require you to have a prescription for OTC drugs.

OTC medicines can

save money

Some medicines are very expensive. Many prescription drugs have become OTC. When

this happens, the price of the drug goes down. An example is Claritin. It is taken to help with allergy symptoms. Claritin now is an OTC medicine. We’re asking doctors to order generic Claritin. It works as well as other more expensive drugs that are just like it. Help us to control costs so we can continue to offer you great benefits.

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You Can Help

Yourself

D

iabetes can’t be cured, but it can be

controlled. If you have

diabetes, here are some things you can do:

See your doctor when you’re supposed to.

Test your blood sugar regularly. Eat a healthy diet.

Maintain a safe body weight. Stop smoking.

Exercise regularly.

Take your medications as directed. Be aware of how you feel.

Taking Control

of Diabetes

T

ed (not his real name) has diabetes – a blood sugar disease. And he wasn’t taking care of it. His blood sugar levels were dangerously high, and he didn’t take his medicines. In addi-tion, Ted was eating foods high in sugar.

Fortunately,

Carolyn Dancy, R.N., entered Ted’s life. Carolyn is a nurse care manager for

BMC HealthNet Plan. She taught him the importance of managing his diabetes. They discussed his medications and his blood sugar levels. And she showed Ted how he should take care of himself. Working with Ted’s doctor, as well as a pharmacist and diabetes educator, Carolyn created a plan. She met weekly with Ted to see how he was doing.

For the next few months, Carolyn taught Ted about his medicines, diet and blood

convinced him how impor-tant it was to see his doctor regularly.

Ted began attending a diabetic nutrition program to learn what foods to eat. He also started seeing a

counselor who helped him feel less sad. Most important, Ted established a good

relationship with his doctor. A year later, Ted is doing much better. He’s learned to take control of his diabetes. At age 52, Ted’s future looks great.

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If You Need

Special Help

Y

our doctor is your best source of information if you have diabetes. But maybe you and your doctor feel that you need extra help. If that’s the case, then we can help.

BMC HealthNet Plan’s Diabetes Care Management Program is for members who have trouble controlling their diabetes. We can work with you and your doctor to create a plan to help you with your diabetes.

Talk to your doctor first. If your doctor thinks you could benefit from the Diabetes Care Management Program, call

1-866-853-5241.

h

ealth

managing your

S

ome of the nearly 17 million Americans who have dia-betes don’t even know they have it. With diadia-betes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin. Or your body doesn’t make insulin at all. Insulin is a hormone that changes glucose (sugar) into energy. Without insulin, the sugar enters your blood stream. This could lead to serious health problems, like blindness, heart attack or stroke.

Types of diabetes

Type 1 – Your body doesn’t make any insulin. Type 1 diabetes occurs mostly in kids or young adults.

Type 2 – Your body doesn’t make enough insulin. Or your body doesn’t properly use the insulin it makes. This is the most common type of diabetes.

Are you at risk?

O

verweight people are at a greater risk. So are those who have a family history of it or who don’t exercise. A recent

Harvard University study showed that people who didn’t exercise – especially those who spent a lot of time sitting and watching TV – had a much higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is also more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native

Americans and Asians.

What Is Diabetes?

Common

Symptoms

of Diabetes

Although some people don’t have diabetes

symptoms, many do. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor.

❍ Always tired

❍ Always hungry or thirsty

❍ Unusual weight loss

❍ Frequent urination

❍ Frequent skin or genital infections

❍ Blurry vision

❍ Slow-healing cuts

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Bicycle Helmets

Save Lives

M

assachusetts law requires that all children who are age 13 and younger must wear a bike helmet when riding their bikes. About 300,000 kids in the U.S. go to the hospital each year because of bicycle accidents. Many of those accidents cause serious head injuries. Some cause death. And most of those injuries were because the rider wasn’t wearing a helmet.

Wear the helmet correctly

For a bike helmet to work, it must be worn the right way. Make sure the child’s helmet is level on his or her head – not tilted back. And make sure the helmet is securely buckled so it doesn’t fall off in case of an accident.

Free kids’

helmets

available

Young members of BMC HealthNet Plan can get a free bike helmet. The child’s parent should call the

Member Services Call Center at 1-888-566-0010.

A Call Center representative

will tell you how to get the helmet.

health and

This X-ray

Could Save

Your Life

I

f you’re a woman age 50 and older, you should get a mammogram every year. Mammograms are X-rays of your breasts. This test can show signs of breast cancer early enough so you can get the medical care you need. The sooner you get care, the better your chances for a successful treatment. If you’re younger than age 50, talk to your doctor about when to get a mammogram.

A reminder

Some of our members received a special card

reminding them that it’s time for a mammogram. We want to help you get the test as soon as possible. Call a BMC HealthNet Plan care manager for help getting an

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LOOK FOR

BMC HealthNet Plan Ads in Your Community

What Is

Diabetes? page 4

Bicycle Helmets

Save Lives page 5

i

nside

what’s

Think About Your OTC Medicines page 2

POSTMASTER PLEASE RETURN TO:

One Design Center Place Suite 814

Boston, MA 02210

Boston Area Office:

One Design Center Place Suite 814

Boston, MA 02210

Western Massachusetts Office:

354 Birnie Avenue, 3rd Floor Springfield, MA 01107

Southeastern Massachusetts Office:

Bourne Counting House One Merrills Wharf New Bedford, MA 02740

Berkshire Office:

163 South Street

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