The Mix - August 2015 - Family Health Plan Edition

AUGUST

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A Blend of Tips So You Can Be Your Best

STAY HEALTHY THIS SCHOOL YEAR

Start fresh this fall Care from start to finish Helpful health tips Stay connected

Mix It Up for Back-to-School Season

With kids going back to school, it’s a great time to mix healthy habits into your life and your kids’ lives, too.

Check out The Mix to start fresh this fall.

The Mix is our newsletter for Medicaid members. It comes out four times a year, and this issue highlights: Helpful health info to kick off the school year

Ways to keep getting the most from your benefits

Local events you can be a part of

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’ll also get rides to 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.

Havea aQuestion?

Question?Call Us. Have • ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480, Monday Have a Question?

Callthrough Us.Friday • Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480 • MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): 1-866-951-0264, • ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480 • MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.1-866-951-0264 to1-866-951-0264 8 p.m.

• MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): • Both: TTY users callcall 711711 or 1-800-526-0844 (Illinois Relay).

• Both: • Both: TTY TTY usersusers call 711 or 1-800-526-0844 (Illinois Relay).

• HealthAllianceConnect.org

We Make Sure You Get Access to Care Health Alliance Connect makes sure all providers (like doctors or dentists) in your network follow the rules of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We want you to get the best care possible, so we check our provider offices to make sure they don’t have anything that makes it hard for people with disabilities to get the care they need.

These are just some of the ways Health Alliance Connect and our providers support ADA values and give you access to great care.

Offer reasonable, flexible schedules to make sure our members can get appointments

Make sure all members can get into buildings safely for their appointments

Provide interpreters or translators for members who don’t speak English or have hearing or vision problems

Offer services (like large-print versions of certain materials or over-the-phone help with filling out forms) to make sure members understand everything they need to know

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Back-to-School Basics

Help Your Child with Diabetes or Asthma This School Year If you’re the parent or caregiver of a child with diabetes or asthma, back-to-school time means more than just getting notebooks and pencils. It’s also the time to talk with your child, his or her doctor and the school about a plan for the year.

For Diabetes

Create a Diabetes Medical Management Plan (DMMP) and 504 Plan for school.

A DMMP explains your child’s needs and has a schedule for insulin and blood sugar testing. A 504 Plan makes sure the school doesn’t discriminate against people with diabetes, so your child is safe and treated fairly. Fill out these plans at the start of each school year and during the year if anything changes. Go to diabetes.org and search for “DMMP” and “504 Plan” for examples.

Give “low boxes” to the school.

A low box has snacks and glucagon (if your child’s doctor prescribes it) to raise your child’s blood glucose. The school should keep one box in the nurse’s office and one in your child’s classroom. Include this in the DMMP and 504 Plan.

Help your child feel ready.

Make sure your child knows what low blood sugar feels like and knows to tell an adult right away if it happens. Also, talk about not swapping lunches or snacks with other kids.

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Havea aQuestion?

Question?Call Us. Have • ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480, Monday Have a Question?

Callthrough Us.Friday • Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480 • MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): 1-866-951-0264, • ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480 • MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.1-866-951-0264 to1-866-951-0264 8 p.m.

• MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): • Both: TTY users callcall 711711 or 1-800-526-0844 (Illinois Relay).

• Both: • Both: TTY TTY usersusers call 711 or 1-800-526-0844 (Illinois Relay).

• HealthAllianceConnect.org

For Asthma

Share your Asthma Action Plan with the school. This plan has directions for early treatment of symptoms, a list of triggers and emergency contact info for you and your child’s doctor. Go to lung.org and search for “Asthma Action Plans” for a sample.

Call or visit the school nurse. Ask about any forms your child’s doctor needs to sign for your child to carry an inhaler and to get any needed treatment at school. Talk about your child’s Asthma Action Plan.

Also, ask about the school’s asthma emergency plan and whether teachers and other staff are trained in how to help your child in an emergency.

Ask about a 504 Plan.

A 504 Plan makes sure the school doesn’t discriminate against people with disabilities, which in some cases, includes asthma. Call the school to find out more.

Help your child feel ready.

Go over your child’s Asthma Action Plan with him or her before school starts. Make sure your child knows to tell an adult right away if he or she is having an attack or doesn’t feel right.

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Make This School Year a Healthy One

School is starting up again, and kids are about to be really busy. But making a healthy routine and sticking to it can help everyone feel less stressed going into the new school year. Here are some tips for making your own back-to-school routine.

Get enou gh

akfast.

Eat a healthy bre

t important meal os m e th is st fa ak Bre ill nced breakfast w of the day. A bala more alert and help everyone feel focused.

Get checkups.

Make sure your kids get their needed vaccines and physicals before going back to school, and make sure the school has the paperwork it needs. Let the school know if your child has any special medicines or needs.

Offer healthy after-school snacks. Leave out fresh or dried fruit for a quick snack in the afternoon. Granola bars, low-fat yogurt and carrot sticks make great snacks, too.

Skip the soda. Avoid sugary drinks. Instead, drink water, low-fat milk or 100 percent juice with no added sugars.

Encourage exercise. Staying active is important for everyone, so limit TV and video games. Try taking a family walk after dinner or playing your favorite sports together.

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sleep.

Set a bedti m get enoug e that will let everyo h sleep to n feel energ e and ready iz e to go in th e morning d .

Havea aQuestion?

Question?Call Us. Have • ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480, Monday Have a Question?

Callthrough Us.Friday • Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480 • MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): 1-866-951-0264, • ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480 • MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.1-866-951-0264 to1-866-951-0264 8 p.m.

• MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): • Both: TTY users callcall 711711 or 1-800-526-0844 (Illinois Relay).

• Both: • Both: TTY TTY usersusers call 711 or 1-800-526-0844 (Illinois Relay).

• HealthAllianceConnect.org

Take These Steps to Stay with Health Alliance Connect Each year, the State looks at every Medicaid member’s case to see if he or she still meets the rules for getting Medicaid. This is part of the Illinois Medicaid Redetermination Project (IMRP).

Watch for mail from IMRP, the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) or the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).

About two weeks later, you’ll get a form with the latest info the State has about you.

You’ll get a letter to let you know a form is coming soon.

Follow the directions on the form. Fix any wrong info, and send proof for any new info.

Let the State Know Where You Live If the State doesn’t have the right address for you, you won’t get the letter or form, and you will stop getting your Medicaid benefits soon. Here are some ways you can let the State know you’ve moved.

Update your address at a U.S. Post Office.

Go to dhs.state.il.us. Click the “More for Customers” link. Then choose the Change of Address, Income or Assets link under “Most Requested Services.”

Call 1-800-843-6154 (TTY: 1-800-447-6404)

Return the form by the date listed even if you don’t change anything. If you need more time or can’t find your form, call 1-855-458-4945 (TTY: 1-855-694-5458).

Questions?

If you have questions about redetermination, email HFS at Medredes@illinois.gov or call 1-855-458-4945 (TTY: 1-855-6945458) Monday through Friday (except on state holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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301 S. Vine St. Urbana, IL 61801

2015

EV ENT

CALENDAR For more community events, visit our website, HealthAllianceConnect.org.

Give a Gold Star 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.

Loungeabout the Roundabout (free live music) Uptown Normal Circle, by the Children’s Discovery Museum | Normal, IL | August 20 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Urbana Sweet Corn Festival Downtown Urbana, IL | August 28, 5 p.m.–11 p.m.

August 29, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. | Free admission Pied Piper Architectural Walking Tour Meet at Lincoln-Herndon Law Office at 6th and Adams Springfield, IL | September 2, October 7 | 5:30 p.m.

No cost Hayrides at Forest Glen Preserve 20301 E. 900 N. Rd. | Westville, IL | October 3 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | Meet at staff office parking lot. $1 per person DisABILITY Resource Expo Fluid Event Center | 601 N. County Fair Dr. Champaign, IL | October 17 | 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

Free admission

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 ICP-Medicaid: 1-877-933-8480 or MMAI-Medicaid and Medicare (Duals): 1-866-951-0264 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-themixFHPaug-0815 caid-themixFHPaug-0815