9506 Ageless SUMMER (WEB) 2020

FEEL GOOD STAY ACTIVE WE’LL HELP
Ageless
SUMMER 2020
Manage
Your
Medicine
Know
Where
To Go
Give
Yourself
Self-Care
pg. 3 pg. 4 pg. 6

y
CRESHELLE R. NASH,
M.D., MPH
A primary care physician is
important for your overall health
You can exercise. You can eat
well. You can take supplements,
drink plenty of water, and take
all your prescribed medications
as directed. And that’s great.
But do you know what is equally
important for your health?
Having a primary care physician
(PCP) and making regular
appointments with them.
A PCP:
• Keeps tabs on your overall health
with wellness checkups
• Provides critical preventive care
(screenings and immunizations)
• Identifies and treats common
medical conditions
• Suggests healthy lifestyle
choices
• Gives referrals to specialists
• Keeps track of any immunizations
you may need
• Sees symptoms of serious
conditions such as diabetes,
heart disease or stroke that may
run in your family
People who regularly visit their
PCP have fewer hospitalizations
and emergency visits than
those who do not visit primary
care doctors.
If you do have a chronic disease
like diabetes, your PCP can
keep close tabs on you to
monitor any changes in your
overall health and routine lab
work. Over time, your PCP can
build a comprehensive health
history that can be shared with
specialists, if you should
need one.
If you don’t have a PCP, we
can help you find one. Call
the number on the back of your
member ID card. If you do have
a PCP, make an appointment
today to see your doctor for
your annual wellness visit!
As always, we’re here to
help you on your healthcare
journey. In good health,
Creshelle
A reminder about
COVID-19 and the
information we share
As the world continues
to deal with the
coronavirus pandemic,
it’s more important than
ever to keep the lines
of communication open
with your PCP. Talk with
your doctor about any
information you read
in Ageless, and follow
your doctor’s guidelines.
Put your doctor’s office
number in your phone.
It’s a valuable resource in
your arsenal as we stand
against this virus together.
2 Ageless SUMMER 2020

Manage
your
Medication
It’s easier than you think
Have you recently gone to the doctor only
to receive another prescription for a new
medication? Is managing your medicine
feeling like a full-time job? Sometimes,
staying healthy can really be a balancing act.
125,000 deaths! Mismanaging
medications is also responsible for
10 percent of all hospitalizations and
costs the healthcare system between
$100–$289 billion.
You’re not alone. Four in 10 people say
the major reason they don’t take their
medicine is that they simply forget. One
recent study estimates that each year in
the United States, skipping medicine or
not taking it as prescribed causes nearly
Here are some steps to make medication management easier:
Always ask your doctor or pharmacist when you should
take your medicine, even if you have been taking it for a
while. It’s important to take your medicine when it is most
effective. For example, statins for cholesterol are more
effective if taken at bedtime.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you can take your
medicine at another time of day. It’s better to take it at a
different regularly scheduled time than not at all.
Speak with your pharmacist about “synchronizing” or
coordinating your medication refills for you. It’s a no-cost
service for our Medicare members and will help you stay on
track with your medications and reduce trips to the pharmacy.
Download on your smart phone or tablet one of several apps
that can help keep track of your medicine. Some of the free ones
include WebMD’s mymedicine and Medisafe Pill Reminder.
Much of this could be avoided if everyone
took their medications as prescribed, or
discussed problems such as affordability
or intolerable side effects with their doctor.
Sometimes, it just becomes confusing and
troublesome. But it doesn’t have to be.
Go the old-fashion way. Set an alarm on your phone or
clock as a reminder or buy a basic weekly or monthly
pillboxes to track medicine.
Put your medicine in a highly visible area as a reminder to
take it. Don’t forget to keep it in closed containers and safely
out of the reach of children and pets.
Remember to fill your prescription on time. Ask your
doctor to write a 90-day supply of any maintenance
medications you take.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how long you
should take specific medications. Many medications
require you to continue taking them long after you feel
better. Don’t stop taking any medicine without talking
to your doctor first.
Ageless SUMMER 2020 3

? ?
?
Need care?
You have choices
? ?
?
Before you sit for hours in an emergency room
or end up with medical costs not covered
by your health plan, learn more about your
medical care options. Know before you go!
Primary Care
Your doctor, also called a
primary care physician (PCP),
should be your first choice
for care. Your PCP is familiar
with your medical history, and
a scheduled office visit is the
most cost-effective method of
care. When necessary, your
PCP’s clinic can refer you to
specialists within your health
plan and ensure that you
receive the right care in the
right place, without higher
out-of-network costs.
What if my PCP is not available?
If you need medical care after
your PCP’s office has closed
but you aren’t sure if the
condition is an emergency,
call your PCP’s office to reach
the medical professional
on call. He or she can help
you determine if you should
wait for a priority visit at the
clinic the next day, visit an
urgent care center or go to
the emergency room.
Telehealth Care
Urgent Care
Walk-in clinics, also called
urgent care clinics, are for
medical conditions, signs
or symptoms that require
immediate medical attention
but are not severe or lifethreatening
and do not require
a hospital or emergency room
visit. Urgent care clinics are
open for extended hours and
are available on a first-come,
first-served basis.
What conditions may require
urgent care?
Telehealth offers access to medical doctors 24 hours a day,
seven days a week via smartphone, tablet or computer.
Telehealth doctors treat non-emergency health issues like
allergies, bronchitis, cold and flu symptoms, sinus, sore
throats and others.
Your health plan partners with MDLive ® , making it easier
for you to get effective and safe medical care anytime and
anywhere. MDLive ® providers are board-certified and
state-licensed doctors living in and practicing medicine
in the United States.
4 Ageless SUMMER 2020
The following conditions may
require urgent care: allergic
reactions; asthma; bites and
stings; cold, flu and other viral
illnesses; diarrhea; ear and
eye infections; injuries;
nausea and vomiting; skin
conditions, sprains and strains
and urinary tract infections.
Members can schedule
appointments by accessing MDLive
through the following links:
• MyBluePrint.com
• MyVirtualHealth.com
• MDLive.com/bluemedicare
Emergency Care
An emergency room visit,
also called emergency care,
is needed when you have an
accident, condition, illness,
sign or symptom that could
place your health in jeopardy
if not treated immediately.
Examples include badly
broken bones, chest pain, loss
of consciousness, poisoning,
serious burns, etc.
Should I call 911 or go to the ER?
Call 911 or go to the ER
immediately if the answer is
“yes” to any of these questions:
• Are the symptoms severe and/or
life-threatening?
• Did the symptoms occur suddenly
and unexpectedly?
• Is there uncontrolled bleeding,
broken bones or extreme pain?
• Is there dehydration or a
dangerously high fever?
• Arkansasbluecross.com/members /medicare-advantage
Or you can call MDLive at 877-540-2082 / TTY 800-770-5531,
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
How can
I help you?

The 24-hour
nurse hotline
is here!
Day or night,
we’ve got you covered
The nurse advice line is live!
You can now call a nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week (even on holidays) with no copay for advice
on your health. The 24-hour nurse hotline is a tollfree
telephone number you can call for coaching and
nurse advice from trained clinicians.
A nurse can answer questions that don’t require a
doctor’s visit or even a call to your doctor’s nurse.
A nurse on the hotline can answer questions about:
• Your symptoms
• Medications and side effects
• Reliable self-care home treatments
• Self-help and support groups
• When to go to your doctor
• When to go to urgent care or the emergency room
• Local physician and hospital resources
In the middle of the night, you may
have symptoms that concern you.
You can call a nurse to see if you
should go to the emergency
room or make an appointment
with your doctor.
We’ve got you covered.
Members can access the
nurse advice line by calling:
1-800-318-2384 (TTY 711).
In a life-threatening
situation, you should
always call 911
or go to the nearest
emergency room.
Ageless SUMMER 2020
5

Don’t FORGET
to care for YOU!
Sometimes we get so busy in our lives that we
forget to care for ourselves. That’s especially
true if you’re busy doing for others like caring
for a sick spouse, babysitting grandchildren, or
leading a volunteer organization. It’s important,
though, to care for your mental, physical and
emotional health in order to best help others.
That sometimes means putting yourself first and giving yourself self-compassion.
Show yourself the
same empathy and
concern that you
show for others.
Spend time with
people who make
you feel understood
and supported.
Embrace each situation
in the moment, and
don’t dwell on the
“what ifs.”
Self-compassion doesn’t depend on you
reaching ideal and possibly unrealistic goals.
Instead, it comes from caring for yourself as you
are with your own balance of weak and strong
points. People with self-compassion experience
less anxiety and are more comfortable in their
own skin. That means you can give your best to
other others if you take care of yourself first.
6 Ageless SUMMER 2020
If you can’t seem to shake depressive feelings
or don’t feel like yourself, talk to your doctor.
If you need help finding a doctor or are unsure
which way to turn, please call to talk to one of
our case managers at 800-817-7784.

Our Medi-Pak Advantage Nurse Case
Management team is here for you!
Our goal? To promote quality healthcare
and the best health outcomes for you.
Medi-Pak Advantage case managers can help with a variety of
situations, questions and concerns. Most frequently we assist with:
Coordination
of care
Transition
of care
Education about
medications
or health
Behavioral
health
PCP
Finding a primary
care provider and
making appointments
Community
resources
We encourage, assist, support and promote participation
in wellness activities like annual wellness visit and health
screenings (mammograms, colonoscopies and diabetic eye
exams, for example).
Our case managers encourage, assist, support and promote our
members in their efforts to take their medications as prescribed
and make and keep their healthcare appointments. We also work
closely with members to promote chronic disease management.
We seek to help our members to have the best member
experience possible.
If you would like to reach a case manager, please contact
us at 800-817-7784.
Ageless SUMMER 2020
7

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
P.O. Box 2181
Little Rock, AR 72203-2181
Please note: This newsletter is for health education purposes only. We do not offer medical advice or
services. Always consult your treating physician(s) for any medical advice or services you may need.
Ageless
A publication for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Medicare Advantage members.
9506 7/20 HEALTH AND WELLNESS OR PREVENTION INFORMATION
Chicken, Spinach
and Barley Soup
Courtesy of
Green Leaf Grill
A healthy, easy soup for any day of the week
Ingredients
• 3 ½ cups chicken stock
• 9 ½ ounces of boneless, skinless
chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 tablespoons diced yellow onion
• ¼ teaspoon minced garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons dry barley
Directions
1. Heat oil in a stock pot.
2. Dice chicken into ¼” pieces.
3. Brown chicken over medium-heat
for 6-7 minutes.
Nutritional information (per 1 cup)
Calories: 176
Protein: 17 grams (g)
Total fat: 0.08 g • Sat Fat: 0.01 g
Makes
4 cups
• ¼ teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
• ¼ teaspoon fresh chopped oregano
• 3 tablespoons freshly diced tomatoes
• 1 small diced red potato
• 3 tablespoons fresh spinach
• 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper
4. Stir in onion, garlic, barley, thyme,
oregano, tomatoes, potatoes and
chicken stock.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Carbohydrate: 10 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 615 milligrams
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6. Reduce heat to simmer, stirring
occasionally for 20-25 minutes.
7. Stir in spinach and cook until
spinach starts to wilt.
8. Add salt and pepper.