DECEMBER
2 015
the mix A Blend of T ips So You Can Be Your Best
WARM UP TO YOUR
HEALTHCARE
COVERAGE THIS WINTER
Catch a ride with us Know where to go for care Learn about a fellow member
Just the Right Mix for Your Health The Mix is our newsletter for Medicaid members. It’s always a great time to get connected to the care you need and to use your benefits to their fullest.
This winter, start taking advantage of our free rides to doctor visits, learn where to go if you get sick or hurt and meet a fellow member. Take this newsletter someplace cozy. It’s time to Get in The Mix.
Mix in Health
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Health Alliance Connect helps make sure you get the care you need from start to finish. That means you’ll have a primary care physician (main doctor, also called PCP) who focuses on all your health needs. You can also get rides to covered medical appointments and you may be eligible for community services and other support to help you meet your goals. Plus, all your health records stay in one place.
Have a Question?
• 1-877-933-8480, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. • TTY users call 711 • HealthAllianceConnect.org
Get a Ride to Better Health
Seeing your doctor is important, but sometimes it’s hard to get to his or her office. That’s where Health Alliance can help. We coordinate your care from start to finish, and as part of that care, we connect you to free rides to and from your doctor visits. We’ll even take you to the pharmacy on your way home from your appointment. If you do not have a ride to your next visit with your doctor, call the number on the back of your Health Alliance Connect ID card as soon as you know the date and time you’ll need a ride. Please call three business days before the visit and tell us about any special requirements, like if you’ll be riding with a caretaker or service animal or if you need a van for a wheelchair. We’ll take it from there.
Our rides to the doctor’s office are part of your plan and are no cost to you, so make the most of your coverage by letting us help you get to the doctor. If you have a true emergency, call 911.
We have info about public transportation if you need to get other places, like the grocery store. Just go to “Need a Ride or Other Support” at HealthAllianceConnect.org.
Reminder: Get Your Free Flu Shot Get the flu shot this year to protect yourself and those around you. The shot is free when you get it from an in-network provider or pharmacy. To find in-network providers and pharmacies, go to HealthAllianceConnect.org or call the number on the back of your Health Alliance Connect ID card.
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Get the Right Kind of Care
Your primary care provider (PCP) is your partner in health. He or she knows the full picture of your health, like any past issues and what your goals are. When you need care and it’s not an emergency or urgent problem, set up a visit with your PCP. Sometimes it can be hard to know if your sickness or injury is bad enough that you need to go to an urgent care clinic or to the emergency room instead of seeing your PCP. The lists below can help.
What should I see my PCP for?
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• • • • •
Regular health checkups and screenings Low fever (above 98.6 degrees but below 102) Cough or other signs of a cold Unexplained weight changes Pain that won’t go away
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Check Your Mail for Redetermination Postcard
We’ll send you a postcard to remind you when it’s time for you to fill out your redetermination form. Each year, the State looks at every Medicaid member’s case to see if he or she still meets the rules for getting Medicaid. Watch for mail from the State. Once you get the form, follow the directions listed on it to make sure you keep getting your health benefits. If you have questions, call the number on the back of your Health Alliance Connect ID card. We can answer your questions or point you in the right direction.
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Have a Question?
• 1-877-933-8480, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. • TTY users call 711 • HealthAllianceConnect.org
What is an emergency? When do I need urgent care? • Possible broken bone • Sore throat or earache • Bad coughing • Vomiting, diarrhea or dehydration • Pink eye • Rashes • Muscle sprains or strains • Fever of 102 degrees or higher
• Serious accident • Injury to head, neck or back • Eye damage • Heavy bleeding • Bad cuts or burns • Severely broken bone • Trouble breathing or chest pain • Blacked out • No heartbeat or pulse • Overdose • Sexual assault • Any time you think your life or health is at serious risk Please note: These are examples, not complete lists.
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Connect Member Shows Living Life is an Art Jo Ann Rose, a Health Alliance Connect member from Peoria, says she doesn’t think she’s a special person. But after two car wrecks, including one that put her in a wheelchair, this lifelong artist is a shining example of how to move past hardships. As a child, Jo Ann had trouble sleeping at night. Her mom would tell her to stay in bed, so she made the most of being awake in the middle of the night by making animals out of clay, using only the moonlight to see what she was doing. Years later, she has bigger obstacles to face. In April 2008, Jo Ann was in a major car accident that led to a month-long stay in a hospital and a couple of six- to seven-month stays in a nursing home. She now uses a wheelchair and can’t raise her arms higher than her shoulders. This makes it hard to do her artwork.
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I’m working on it, I haven’t given up.
She was in an art program when she had her first wreck and kept doing her schoolwork even when she was in the nursing home. But after her second wreck hurt her arms even more, she put her classes on hold. Jo Ann, whose mom taught her to draw cartoons when she was 8 years old and has been drawing, painting and sculpting ever since, says she still plans to finish the art program someday.
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This never-quit attitude helped her get out of the nursing home in 2009. She learned to live in a wheelchair on her own and taught herself how to do things like cooking while sitting down. But even though she was living by herself, she was not completely alone.
Have a Question?
• 1-877-933-8480, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. • TTY users call 711 • HealthAllianceConnect.org
Advocates for Access, a not-for-profit organization in Peoria Heights that helps people with disabilities live on their own, was there for her every step of the way and helped her find and rent an apartment. And once she became a Connect member, Health Alliance was also in her corner to help her get the supplies and health care she needed. Today, she returns the favor as a volunteer for Advocates for Access and works to help others gain freedom in their lives. She won the Advocates for Access Consumer of the Year award in 2013 and later donated some of her own paintings for a silent auction to raise money for the cause. Her message is simple.
The young girl who taught herself how to sculpt in her moonlit bedroom is now a woman who taught herself to live life to its fullest, facing setback after setback. To the people she helps, she is special. She sets an example for others by moving past whatever life throws at her.
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“I can hardly use my legs. I can’t raise my arms above shoulder height. I can’t brush my hair, and I can’t even scratch the back of my neck. But I keep going. I’m not that special of a person, so if I can do it, anybody can.”
My main goal here is to help show other people with disabilities that the only limitations you have are the ones you set yourself.
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Advocates for Access
To learn more about Advocates for Access and how you can help out or get help for you or someone you know, go to advocatesforaccess.com.
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301 S. Vine St. Urbana, IL 61801
2016
EV ENT
CALENDAR For more community events, visit our website, HealthAllianceConnect.org.
Give a Gold Star
Relax Under the Stars Peoria Riverfront Museum | 222 SW. Washington St. Peoria, IL | First Wednesday of every month |12–1 p.m. The Evolution of Alice in Wonderland for 150 years Milner Library, Illinois State University | 201 N. School St. Normal, IL | Every day until February 12 | All-day event Second Saturday Board Games Urbana Free Library | 210 W. Green St. | Urbana, IL January 9 | 2–6 p.m.
Have you had a great experience with somebody at Health Alliance Connect? If so, you can give that person a Gold Star as a special way to say thanks. We’ll share your story with that person and his or her manager and peers. You can thank someone today at HealthAlliance.org/GoldStar.
Don’t forget to stay in touch! Just like your friends and family, we need to know if you move or get a new phone number. That way we can keep in touch, send you important info about your plan and make sure you get your copy of The Mix. You can also connect with us on social media. We’ll keep you in the loop on news and events, plus give you healthy living tips and info. Facebook.com/HealthAlliance
Twitter: @Health_Alliance
Pinterest.com/HealthAlliance
Please call 1-877-933-8480 and tell us what changed (TTY users call 711). Or send an email with your name, address and phone number to connect@healthalliance.org. caid-themixMMAISPDdec-1115