Ageless - SPRING 2023

FEEL GOOD STAY ACTIVE WE’LL HELP
SPRING 2023
Ageless
Healthy Happy
Heart Habits
pg. 3
A Smile in
the Voice
pg. 4
On the Trail
to Better Health
pg. 6

Healthy Recipe
to Try at Home
One Pot Bean
Chili with Frozen
Vegetables
Try with ground turkey or chicken or add additional
vegetables. Serve with tortilla strips or topped with yogurt.
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 (15 oz) cans of reduced sodium beans (pinto, black,
kidney, red, etc.)
• 1 (15 oz) can of tomatoes, canned, chopped
• 1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock (look for low
sodium, or make your own at home)
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 Tbsp cumin, ground
• 2 tsp oregano, dried
PREPARATION:
1. Gather all ingredients and equipment.
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized
saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
3. Stir often, keeping on a simmer, for about 30
minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the
chili to thicken.
4. To serve, top each serving with 1 Tbsp of cheese
and plain yogurt (optional)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 each onion, diced
• 4 cups mixed frozen vegetables
Recipe courtesy of culinarymedicine.org, which is
“home of the Health meets Food curriculum, developed
to change the dialogue between healthcare professionals
and their patients about food and health.”
2 Ageless SPRING 2023

Healthy Happy
Heart Habits
We have to keep our
tickers ticking
While you might think maintaining your overall health is all you need to do,
there are specific ways to help your heart stay healthy and keep on ticking.
Have a Heart-Healthy Diet – Add fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and lowfat
dairy products to your diet. Subtract salt,
saturated fat, and sugar whenever possible.
Get Moving – It’s recommended you have
at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic activity every week, plus musclestrengthening
activity at least 2 days a week.
Stop Smoking – Even one less day of
smoking can improve your heart health.
To quit altogether is the best way to give
your heart a fighting chance.
Take Heart Medicines – If you’ve been
prescribed meds for high cholesterol, high
blood pressure, or diabetes, you need
to follow the instructions carefully. Ask
questions if you don’t understand when and
what medicines to take.
Watch What You Drink – Trade out
water for sugary drinks to reduce
calories. Moderate your alcohol intake
to no more than one drink a day for
women and two a day for men.
Know Your Health History – Doctors
can tell a lot about risks to your heart
from family history. Take time to
figure out if there is a history of heart
disease in your family tree.
Yearly See Your PCP – An annual
check-up with your Primary Care
Physician should include checks on
cholesterol levels, blood pressure and
screening for diabetes – all issues to
keep under control and keep that ticker
in tip-top shape.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ageless SPRING 2023 3

A Smile in the Voice
Help is On the Line with the
Medicare Outreach Team
Tim Smith understands that, at first, people might
not want to talk to him when he calls. He knows
the person on the other end of the line is likely
suspicious and believes they have stumbled
into an unwanted, pressure-packed sales
call. Give Tim a little time, and he can usually
change their mind.
“Think about how many scam calls you get on
your phone each day,” said Tim. “Normally, when
we call, we are talking to older people. Think
about how many calls they get a day.”
Tim, part of the Arkansas Blue Medicare Outreach team,
has worked at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield for nine
years. He’s been in Outreach for a little more than a year now.
Tim’s job is to be on the phone each day, calling our Medicare
members. Many times, he reaches out after receiving a
notice that a member’s prescription needs refilling.
“There are several things we keep up with and would be
a reason for our call. There are three types of medicine
for people on Medicare that we follow. We keep track
of diabetes medicine, statin medicine and some antihypertension
– high blood pressure – medicine. When we
see they need a refill, we give these people a call. If they
have run out of what they are taking and need assistance
with refills, we try to help.”
Though it varies, Tim estimates that he makes
approximately 60 calls a day. He may be calling to remind
a member that their medicine has, or is, about to run
out. He may find cheaper alternatives to a member’s
prescribed medication.
“Some drugs are very expensive,” says Tim. “For example,
new diabetes medications. Anything new can be
expensive. We try to find ways to make medications
more affordable.”
To do this, Tim consults with pharmacies or physicians to
see what other medications are available as a substitute.
Some calls Tim makes are “campaign calls.” During these
conversations, Tim provides education about preventive
health screenings, such as a colonoscopy or an eye exam.
The phone call can be an occasion for a health status checkup,
where Tim goes over a member’s “wants and needs.”
A native of Newport, Tim, 59, has been a registered nurse
for 25 years. A traumatic event when he was 10 years old
prompted him to learn what he could do to be prepared
and help in a medical emergency. His credentials include
certification as an EMT paramedic.
“I know the trauma side and the nursing side.”
4 Ageless SPRING 2023

Save
Money
on Prescription
Drugs with Rx
Savings Solutions
If they can hear
a smile in your voice,
it gives them confidence,
and they may decide
to go ahead and
talk to you.
– Tim Smith
Arkansas Blue
Medicare Outreach
Today, Tim uses his medical knowledge and disarming,
friendly attitude to win over the skeptics. Persuading the
person Tim is speaking with to let their guard down or not
to simply hang up is not the easiest thing in the world.
“They can’t see you, of course,” says Tim. “But if they can
hear a smile in your voice. It gives them confidence, and
they may decide to go ahead and talk to you.”
Helping our Arkansas Blue Medicare members take
good care of their health with medicine and preventive
screenings is plenty of reward for Tim.
Your Arkansas Blue Medicare plan comes
with a free service called Rx Savings
Solutions that can help you easily find the
lowest-priced options for your prescription
drugs. This new service is linked to your
health plan, so everything is personalized
for your medications and insurance.
Here’s how it works:
• Your account shows which
lower-cost prescriptions may be
available under your insurance
plan and lets you compare prices.
• Switch to a lower-cost option
with ease. Rx Savings Solutions
handles everything with your
doctor and pharmacy.
• Rx Savings Solutions contacts you
anytime you can be spending less.
Take control of your medication costs
with Rx Savings Solutions. You can
activate your account at myrxss.com/
arkbluemedicare
or talk with our certified pharmacy
technicians at 1-800-268-4476.
“I enjoy my job. It’s rewarding. Helping folks is what
I like to do.”
Ageless SPRING 2023 5

On the trail to
The benefits of being active and getting regular
exercise include better sleep, a better mood and
better overall health.
But riding an indoor exercise bike can quickly get
boring, and gym memberships – no matter how
modest – can get expensive. How about a little
free outdoor activity? Take good care of yourself
by changing your scenery and enjoying a free,
easy Arkansas State Park trail.
The following Arkansas trails offer accessible
and exciting exercise opportunities.
Kingfisher trail
Location:
Pinnacle Mountain State Park,
11901 Pinnacle Valley Road, Little Rock
Trail Type:
Barrier-free, day hikes
Distance: .5 mile
What to know:
This hard-surfaced loop trail winds through the floodplain of the Little Maumelle River. Unique plants,
wildflowers, animals, and birds can be seen here. Along the river, large cypress trees filter sunlight into
this special bottomland forest. Birdwatchers will enjoy exploring this trail early in the morning.
Woody Plant trail
Location:
Devil’s Den State Park,
11333 West Arkansas Hwy. 74, West Fork
Trail Type:
Day hikes, mountain biking
Distance: .25 mile
What to know:
This short, self-guided trail begins near either
bathhouse in Camping Area E and meanders
through the woods surrounding the campgrounds.
To help visitors learn more about the diversified
plant life in this part of the Ozarks, plants along
the trail are labeled to correspond with an
identification sheet available at the visitor center.
Historic
Townsite trail
Location:
Davidsonville Historic State Park,
8047 Hwy. 166 South, Pocahontas
Trail Type:
Barrier-free, day hikes
Distance: ¾ mile
What to know:
Travel back in time to visit the site of
the Arkansas Territory’s first post office,
courthouse, and federal land office. Twelve
wayside exhibits tell about the history and
culture of historic Davidsonville.
6 Ageless SPRING 2023

Arboretum trail
Location:
Village Creek State Park,
201 County Road 754, Wynn
Trail type:
Day hikes
Distance: .25 mile
What to know:
The shortest and easiest of the
park’s trails, it is accessible to almost
everyone. There are signs identifying
many of the trees found along the trail.
Delta View trail
Location: Cane Creek State Park, 50 State Park Road, Star City Trail type: Day hikes Distance: 2.5 miles
What to know:
Cane Creek State Park uniquely sits on the border of two natural divisions of Arkansas. These divisions are the
Gulf Coastal Plains and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, also known as ‘The Delta.’ The Delta View Trail is located
within the Coastal Plains and is characterized by gently sloping hills. The bench at the one-mile mark will give a
hiker a fantastic view of Cane Creek Lake.
Slunger Creek
Nature trail
Location:
Lake Catherine State Park,
1200 Catherine Park Road, Hot Springs
Trail type:
Barrier-free, day hikes
Distance: 5/8 mile
What to know:
Slunger Creek flows alongside most of
this concrete, barrier-free trail. Benches
on the trail offer a place to relax and enjoy
the sounds of the water flowing over rocks
in this Ouachita Mountain creek. Many
wildflowers bloom in the spring, making this
area a photographer’s dream. Park at the
Slunger Creek Trail Trailhead, close to the
park’s entrance.
Source: arkansasstateparks.com
Ageless SPRING 2023 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.
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