Document 6506690

A Publication for Senior Dimensions Members • Winter 2002
Women’s
Health: How
to Add Life
to Your Years
Inside:
• Help Fight
Antibiotic
Resistance
• Meet Your
Personal
Assistant Team
HEALTH&FITNESS
• HPN Employees
Aid in NYC
Relief Efforts
T
Keeping Track
of Your
Health
Numbers
2001 National Cholesterol Education
Program Guidelines
LDL Cholesterol
100 or less
Optimal
100-129
Near optimal/above optimal
130-159
Borderline high
160-189
High
190 or greater Very high
Total Cholesterol
200 or less
Desirable
200-239
Borderline high
240 or greater High
HDL Cholesterol
40 or less
Low
60 or greater
High
Triglycerides
150 or less
Normal
150-199
Borderline high
200-499
High
500 or greater Very high
2
o be an effective part of your own healthcare team,
you need to know on a frequent basis how your
body is functioning.These guidelines will help you
keep track of important readings on how healthy you
are and what you need to work on so you can enjoy
good health for a long time.
Classification of Blood Pressure
for Adults Ages 18 and Older
Optimal
Normal
High-normal
Systolic
(mm Hg)
<120
<130
130-139
and
and
or
Diastolic
(mm Hg)
<80
<85
85-89
Hypertension
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
140-159
160-179
≥180
or
or
or
90-99
100-109
≥110
Category
Patient Safety Alert
If you have an implanted neurostimulation
device, you need to inform anyone who treats
you that you cannot have any shortwave
diathermy, microwave diathermy, or therapeutic
ultrasound diathermy.
Diathermy is a medical device therapy that is
applied externally to deliver energy into the
patient’s body and is typically used to relieve
pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms, reduce joint
contractures, reduce swelling and pain after
surgery, and promote wound healing.
Diathermy is used by a variety of healthcare
professionals including doctors, dentists,
chiropractors, nurses, physical therapists, sports
therapists, ophthalmologists, and others. Before
receiving any treatment, you should inform
every healthcare professional you see that you
have an implanted neurostimulation device.
For more information about this patient
safety alert, call Medtronic’s Customer Service
at 1-800-328-0810 or log onto their website at
www.medtronic.com/patients/patients.html.
Senior Spotlight
Nell Biggs
F
or many, retirement is a time to slow
down. Not for Nell Biggs.“There are so
many things I’d love to do that I’m not
stopping now,” says the Sun City Summerlin
resident.
Not only is Nell a master gardener
accredited through the University of Nevada
Cooperative Extension Services, she is an
avid photographer, quilter, painter, reader,
and traveler. On past driving trips across the
U.S., Nell would select a theme in her
photographic endeavors, such as windmills or
historic buildings.“Taking photographs of
these items forced me to stop; otherwise, I
would have kept on driving,” she says.
When asked about gardening, Nell says it is
the best therapy one can get. She cites studies
that show children who play in the mud have
better immune systems, and hospital patients
recover much faster when surrounded by
flowers. She is a Mohave Guide at the Desert
Demonstration Gardens and even designed
and maintains her own yard. She is also a
docent at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, where
she gives historical and botanical tours of the ranch
house and grounds.
Her daughter, Kim, now a Seattle police officer,
previously lived in Europe for six years, which gave
Nell the opportunity to travel extensively in Europe
and into Russia. She has a son, David, who is a real
estate entrepreneur in the San Francisco Bay area. Nell
also has two grandchildren.
In 2000, Nell represented Nevada and Senior
Dimensions at the “March on Washington” in
Washington, D.C., that was coordinated by the
American Association of Health Plans.The purpose of
the march was to urge Congressional lawmakers to
correct the inadequacy of government funding in
order to stabilize the Medicare+Choice program.
Even with all her endeavors, Nell still finds time to
help others. She volunteers as a Friendly Companion
with Senior Dimensions and helps a homebound
senior each week with household chores and muchappreciated visits.
After retiring from a micro photolithography firm
in Silicon Valley, California, Nell moved to Nevada in
1992 where, she said, she “didn’t know a soul.” Now,
as a member of her community’s Book Club,Travel
Club, Solo/Singles Club, Investment Club, not to
mention many other activities, it’s easy to see why she
now says she has “jillions of friends.”
3
W O M E N ’ S H E A LT H
How to Add
Years to Your Life
…and
Life to Your Years
by Sue Stainbrook, Ph.D., Health Educator
T
he current generation of women who are 45 and
older can choose to be healthier than any
generation of women in history.Thanks to advances
in medical technology, increased emphasis on disease
prevention, and better medications, many women will
live into their 80s, 90s, and even past 100. Developing
good health habits increases your chances of having the
physical ability to enjoy life to its fullest in your later
years.You may possibly add years to your life and life to
your years by taking a few minutes to evaluate your
health risk for heart disease and osteoporosis.
Cardiovascular Disease
A woman’s number-one health concern should be
heart disease. Misperceptions still exist that
cardiovascular disease is not a real problem for women.
It is estimated that 1 in 2 women will eventually die of
heart disease or stroke, compared with 1 in 25 who
will eventually die of breast cancer.The American
Heart Association has identified the following as
cardiac risk factors. Being a:
• man 45 years or older
• woman 55 years or older or at least 45,
postmenopausal, and without estrogen replacement
therapy
• person who uses tobacco products
• person with high blood pressure or currently on high
blood pressure medication
• person with diabetes
• person who does not engage in 20 minutes of
exercise three times per week
• person who is overweight
• person who has a family history of early heart
disease—parent or sibling 55 years or less if male and
65 years or less if female
• person who has low HDL cholesterol (less than
35 mg/dL)
4
How many risk factors do you have for heart
disease? What are your cholesterol numbers, including
the “good” and “bad” cholesterol? What is your current
blood pressure reading? What is a healthy weight for
your height? If you do not know the answers to these
questions without hesitation, then it’s time to take
control of your health.You may just save your own life!
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to
become more porous, gradually making them weaker
and more brittle. Healthy bone is dense and strong and
is able to withstand a great deal of pressure. But when
osteoporosis sets in, bones thin out and become fragile,
making them more likely to break.
In the early stages, osteoporosis can have few, if any,
physical effects that are noticeable. However, as the
disease progresses, fractures can occur, especially in the
spine (backbone), wrists, and hip bones.This can lead
to pain, loss of height, restricted mobility, or a curved
backbone.These physical effects can result in a loss of
confidence and strength.There are ways to combat
both the physical and emotional effects of
osteoporosis: One is early detection; another is
treatment.
Medical studies of over 20 years in duration show
that a woman’s risk of having a fracture can be
predicted with a bone-density measurement.A bonedensity measurement can predict your risk of having
an osteoporotic fracture. In addition, a measurement of
blood pressure can predict your risk of having a stroke,
(continued on page 6)
Yo u r H e a l t h C h e c k u p G u i d e
Type of Health Exam
How Often
Purpose of Exam
Breast Self-Exam
First day of every month or after To look for changes in skin or nipple
your period
discharge, and to feel for any lumps
Skin Self-Exam
Every 3 months
To look for changes in any moles, or
for growths or sores that don’t heal
Height and Weight
Every year or as needed
To measure changes
Blood Pressure
Every year or as needed
To check whether your blood pressure
is too high
Clinical Breast Exam
Every year or as needed
To look for changes and to feel for any
lumps
Mammogram
Every year or as needed
To look for changes in the breast that
cannot be felt
Pelvic Exam and Pap Smear
Every year or as needed
To look and feel for any changes in the
vagina, cervix, uterus, ovaries, or
other female organs
Fecal Occult Blood
Every year or as needed
To check for blood in your stool
Dental Exam
Every year or as needed
To check for cavities and gum disease
Eye Exam
Every two years
To check your vision and look for other
conditions, such as cataracts or
glaucoma
Blood Sugar (Glucose)
Every 3 to 5 years or as needed
To check your blood sugar levels
Cholesterol
Every 3 to 5 years or as needed
To check the amount of different
types of fat in your blood
Sigmoidoscopy
Every 3 to 5 years or as needed
To check for changes or growths in
your intestines
Electrocardiogram
As needed
To check your heart rate or rhythm
Bone Density
As needed
To check the thickness of your bones
Hearing Exam
As needed
To check how well you hear
Clinical Skin Exam
As needed
To look for changes in any moles or for
growths
Vaccinations
How Often
Purpose
Flu Shot
Every year
To prevent the flu
Pneumococcal Vaccine
Once around age 65
To prevent a type of pneumonia
Tetanus Shot
Every 10 years
To prevent tetanus, a serious bacterial
infection
For more information on women’s health, nutrition, heart disease, and other health issues, please contact Health Plan of
Nevada’s Health Education & Wellness Division at (702) 877-5356. All programs and consultations are open to the community.
5
(continued from page 4)
and a cholesterol measurement can predict your risk of
heart disease.
Who needs a bone-density test? (1) Individuals
who have lost more than 1.5 inches of height; (2)
individuals who have experienced a low-trauma
fracture of the hip, wrist, or spine; and (3) women of
any age considering hormone replacement therapy
who need additional information.
Other factors that contribute to risk include:
• Women with a family history of osteoporosis
• Caucasian and Asian women
• Women who are thin or small-boned
• Smoking
• Too much alcohol
• Too little exercise
• Too little calcium (now or as a child)
• A previous broken bone that resulted from a minor
injury
• Certain medications, such as steroids (commonly
used to treat asthma and arthritis) and thyroid
hormones (if the dose is too high)
• Early menopause (before age 45)
A daily routine of 30 minutes of weight-bearing
exercise, adequate calcium intake, and 200 IU of
vitamin D are lifestyle habits that will benefit the bone
health of women regardless of age.A few examples of
weight-bearing exercise include walking, hiking,
weight lifting, gardening, bowling, and dancing
(swimming and bicycling are not in this category).
Vitamin D is necessary for the body to properly utilize
the calcium you eat or get from a supplement.Vitamin
D is made in the skin from exposure to the sun. Most
individuals under the age of 60 do not need extra
vitamin D unless they are not exposed to the sun.After
the age of 60, a supplement may be wise.
It is never too late to benefit from calcium.The
National Institutes of Health’s daily guidelines for
calcium intake for women are as follows:
25-50 years.......................................1,000 mg
Over 50 years (on estrogen) ...............1,000 mg
Over 50 years (not on estrogen) .........1,500 mg
Over 65 years ...................................1,500 mg
Pregnant or nursing ................1,200-1,500 mg
Every woman can control a variety of things in her
life that affect her health risks. Medical research shows
that a woman’s risk for many health problems increases
with age. So what medical checkups should you have,
and how frequently should you have them? Your
schedule depends on your health circumstances and
your healthcare provider’s recommendations. Use the
chart on page 5 as a general guide.
6
Take Advantage of
More
SD@YourService
Features
T
wo new features have been added to
SD@YourService SM, our online Member Center.
Both features should prove to be very helpful
because now you can:
• change your address, online, whenever you need to
and
• order replacement health plan identification cards
as necessary without having to call your personal
assistant or leave your home
SD@YourService was designed to provide you
access to your health plan data.This Internet-based
service provides secure, direct access to information
such as eligibility, benefits, copayments, claims, and
prior authorization status.
Health Plan of Nevada members can get up-todate information, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365
days a year, all at no cost. At the click of a mouse,
you can get connected online to our Member
Center, using your secure user ID and password.
SD@YourService is another way we’re working to
make your health plan meet your expectations. If
you haven’t activated your secure password, you can
visit our website at www.seniordimensions.com. Simply
click on the SD@YourService button and follow the
instructions on the screen.You’ll be shown how to
log on and receive your secure password.
Visit us online as we continue to add new features
to SD@YourService!
Some Friendly
Faces to Go
with
Those Helpful
Personal
Assistant
Voices
Senior Dimensions Personal Assistant Team
T
hey are those friendly and helpful voices on
the other end of the telephone when you
call Member Services for help.You may
have heard them for years, but you probably
have never seen any of them. Since the personal
assistants are often the only direct contact our
members have with Senior Dimensions, we
thought it was time you saw the faces of the
entire team, the people who go with those
comforting voices on the phone.They bring a
lot of caring and concern to your questions and
problems, and, despite their many differences,
they all have the same goal—to help you
receive the healthcare services you deserve!
You can reach your personal assistant at
(702) 242-7301 or 1-800-650-6262 (TTY at
(702) 242-9214 or 1-800-349-3538), from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Q I AT W O R K !
New Medical Technology Review Process
Safeguards Your Care
T
o keep pace with developments in new medical
technology and to ensure that members have
access to safe and effective care, Health Plan of
Nevada has adopted a formal process to evaluate
new medical discoveries.
This process includes the review of new medical
procedures, drugs, devices, and new uses for existing
technologies. New medical technology is reviewed
against medical standards and clinical research for its
effectiveness and safety. HPN requests medical
opinions from local and national specialists during the
review process.
The new technology must:
• be approved by the appropriate government
regulatory body; for example, the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approves new medications
• show a positive effect and improve health outcomes
• be as beneficial as any established alternatives
• be able to show improvement beyond the
experimental setting
• show cost-effectiveness
Physicians, health plan members, and other
interested parties may request a new medical
technology review.
For more information on new medical technology,
please call Allan Ebbin, M.D., M.P.H., at (702) 2427731 or Bobbi Perodeau at (702) 242-7347.
Jonathon W. Bunker
President
Managed Healthcare Division
Copyright © 2002 General Learning Communications.
This publication is not meant to replace professional medical advice
or service. Personal health problems should be brought to the
attention of physicians and appropriate health professionals.
Rodney D. Drake
Manager
Corporate Communications & Editorial Compliance
Printed on recyclable paper
P.O. Box 15645
Las Vegas, NV 89114-5645
Employees Pull Together for
New York
Firefighters
H
ealth Plan of Nevada employees reacted
to the September 11 terrorist attacks on
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon
the same way you did—with disbelief,
shock, and sadness. Then, like the rest of
the nation, our employees wanted to do
something to help their fellow Americans. In
addition to giving blood, displaying flags at
the workplace, and attending rallies and
vigils around the city, Sierra Health Services
(the parent company of HPN) asked
employees in all of their subsidiary
healthcare companies to donate what they
could to a fund established for the New York
City firefighters and their families.
The employees responded quickly and
generously to this call for help. Contributions
totaled nearly $29,000 in two weeks, and,
as part of the campaign, Sierra offered to
match employee contributions dollar-fordollar, doubling this sum of money. We sent a
check for $58,000 to help the firefighters
who gave so much to those directly affected
by the terrorist attacks. We received touching
notes from employees whose children gave
up their allowance, baby-sitting, and even
tooth fairy money to help those in need in
New York.
We’re proud of our HPN employees, and
we hope you are too. As Benjamin Franklin
so rightly said, “Compassion makes a
nation powerful, not its armaments.”
BACTERIAL VS. VIRAL
You Need to Know the Difference!
S
ometimes rest, lots of liquids, and a little
tender loving care is the best medicine.
Throughout the winter cold and flu
season, we want our members to be
aware that antibiotics are powerful
medications and should only be used
when needed. Some infections that
you get are bacterial and others are
viral. Bacterial infections (like
strep throat) require the use of
antibiotics. Viral infections (like a cold and
the flu) do not.
Your doctor can tell if your infection is
viral or bacterial, and should prescribe
antibiotics only when you need them.
Antibiotic treatment cannot cure viral infections.
If given when not needed, antibiotics can
actually be harmful.Your body can build up
resistance to antibiotics; if that happens, when
you need them, they will not work for you.
So when you have a cold or the flu, drink
plenty of fluids, get lots of rest, use throat
lozenges or a cool mist vaporizer to
relieve your symptoms, even a little
chicken soup, but don’t ask your
doctor for drugs you don’t need.That
way, when you do need them, they
will be ready to work for you to help
defeat your bacterial infection.
Health Plan of Nevada is proud to be a
part of a statewide program to promote the
appropriate use of antibiotics. Nevadans for
Antibiotic Awareness (NAA) is a coalition of
health plans, state and county agencies, and
healthcare providers working together.
If you would like more information
on appropriate antibiotic use, please
call Donna Riddle at (702) 383-1378.
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Las Vegas, NV
Permit No. 952
HNS
Senior Dimensions is a division of Health Plan of Nevada, a Medicare+Choice Organization
under contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly known as the
Health Care Financing Administration) to offer a Medicare+Choice plan.Anyone entitled to
Parts A and B of Medicare may apply. Members must use plan providers for routine care unless
accessing care under the point-of-service benefit. Members must continue to pay Medicare
Part B premiums (and Part A premiums if applicable). Limitations and restrictions may apply.
Drug coverage subject to limitations. Benefits and premiums vary by county.