2014 3rd Qtr Member Newsletter

ISSUE 3 | QUARTERLY
Amish Purhohi, M.D., MHA, CPE, FACHE
As the Chief Medical Officer of Arizona
Priority Care, I want to take this
opportunity to let you know that it is my
honor to serve as the intermediary of your
healthcare. We work very closely with your
health plan, primary care physicians and
the specialists in our network to ensure
that your benefits are provided in the most
professional, caring and seamless manner
possible. We recognize that the process
of coordination of services may seem
cumbersome, but we also know that it is
this synchronization that affords complete
care for each patient. This includes adding
Social Workers to our staff to assist in
locating community organizations that can
provide services that may not be covered
by your health plan. Another service
employed to augment your health care is
provided through our Care Management
Team. The role of the Care Manager is
to contact you while hospitalized to help
explain each step of the care process
and to follow up with you afterwards to
guarantee the best possible recovery.
It is these types of services that I oversee
on your behalf and I want you to know that
securing the best possible outcomes for
your health is my top priority.
Join our team in the
fight against Diabetes
What:
What:
When:
When:
Where:
Where:
Who:
Who:
How:
How:
American Diabetes Association Walk
American Diabetes Association Walk
Saturday, October 11th at 8:30 am
Saturday, October 11th at 8:30 am
Starting Line at North Phoenix Baptist Church,
Starting
Line at North
Phoenix Baptist Church,
5757 N. Central
Avenue
5757 N. Central Avenue
Our team name is the AZPC DiaBEATables
Our team name is the AZPC DiaBEATables
Call Alena - 480-499-8700 x8732
Call Alena - 480-499-8700 x8732
All proceeds go toward helping a homeless Veteran
All proceeds go toward helping a homeless Veteran
get back on his feet. All donations are welcome.
get back on his feet. All donations are welcome.
Drop off Friday, November 7th - 8am to 4pm
Drop off Friday, November 7th - 8am to 4pm
When: Saturday, November 8th
Where: Arizona Priority Care, 6165 West Detroit Street,
Chandler 85226 Parking Lot
Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm
The AZPC Network
If your Primary Care Physician is a contracted provider with Arizona Priority Care, then
you are automatically part of the AZPC network.
What does this mean for you?
This means that the specialists, lab, x-ray and other services that you need will be
provided by another contracted provider in the AZPC network whenever possible.
It also means that you are automatically a part of the AZPC Senior Advantage Club.
Through this club, we provide other types of services, just for our patients. Services
such as Tai Chi exercise program and health education services. We also coordinate
special trips and programs to get you up, get you out and get you active.
Do you know how many Primary Care Physician locations
are throughout Maricopa and Pinal Counties are in the
AZPC network?
A. 200 B. 550 C. 1,000
There are more than 650 Primary Care Physicians in our network, representing over
900 locations. Most of which are either Internal Medicine or Family Practice physicians.
Many of these physicians had been a part of the Health Net Direct net-work as well,
and are now part of the AZPC network. Regardless of your plan, you are able to select
any one of these PCPs as your primary physician.
Do know how many specialists locations throughout
Maricopa and Pinal Counties are in the AZPC network?
A. 1,000+
B. 3,500+
C. 5,000+
There are more than 1,300 specialists in our network. These are the specialists that
your PC recommend for you when you are in need of specialty care., regardless of
your healthplan.
SENIOR ADVANTAGE | QUARTERLY | ISSUE 3
Let’s test your Flu I.Q.
People with the flu can spread it to
others up to about 6 ft away through
coughs and sneezes!
Test your flu IQ! www.cdc.gov/flu
The flu is typically spread through coughs
and/or sneezes.
£ True
£ False
FACT: The flu virus is mainly spread
through droplets from coughs and
sneezes.
You can spread the flu to others before
you have symptoms.
£ True
£ False
£ True
£ False
FACT: The flu vaccine cannot cause flu
illness. The viruses in the vaccine are
either killed (flu shot) or weakend, which
means they cannot cause infection.
Stomach flu and influenza are the
same thing.
£ True
£ False
FACT: “Stomach flu” is a popular term of
stomach or intestinal disease, whereas the
flu is a respiratory (lung) disease. People
who have the flu often feel some or all
of these symptoms: fever, headache,
extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat
and muscle aches. Nausea, vomiting and
diarrhea also can occur with the flu, but
are more common in children than adults.
People should be vaccinated against the
flu each and every year.
£ True
£ False
Get the Shot, NOT the flu.
Fact:
The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu.
FACT: Most healthy adults may be able
to infect others beginning 1 day before
symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days
after becoming sick. This means that you
may be able to pass on the flu to someone
else before you know you are sick, as well
as while you are sick.
FACT: CDC recommends yearly vaccination
for two reasons. First, new flu vaccines are
made each year and often updated to fight
against the three or four influenza viruses
research suggests will be most common.
Second, immunity declines over time.
The flu is not a serious disease.
Getting a flu vaccine in December or later is not too late.
£ True
£ False
FACT: Flu is a serious contagious
disease that causes illness and related
hospitalizations and deaths every year in
the United States. Flu seasons can vary in
severity.
£ True
£ False
FACT: CDC recommends that people get vaccinated as
soon as vaccines becomes available and that vaccination
continues into December, January and beyond. Influenza
activity usually peaks in February most years, but disease
can occur as late as May.
Senior Advantage
Take Advantage of Seniors Day discounts
on the first Tuesday of each month
September - December 2014. Get 20% off
regularly priced merchandise with AARP
members with Balance ® Rewards.*
*Offer only valid with Balance Rewards card to members 55
years of age and older and all AARP members. Restrictions
apply. AARP receives a royalty for the use of it’s intellectual
property. Amounts paid are used for the general purposes of
AARP and its members. For terms and conditions see stores or
walgreens.com/seniorday
Healthcare Clinic board-certified family nurse practitioners and
physician assistants can:
- Diagnose and Treat common illnesses, skin conditions, and minor injuries
- Provide immunizations, physicals, and health screenings
- Write prescriptions when clinically appropriate
- Provide patient visit summary to your doctor
at select
Voucher for Health Screening
at the following locations:
10324 Riggs Road, Sun Lakes
2785 N. Pinal Avenue, Casa Grande
4965 W. Bell Road, Glendale
3605 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix
This voucher entitles you to
one Flu shot
Tuesday
November 4th
10:00am - 1:00pm
Test result sent directly
to your PCP
A wellness benefit
brought to you by
at no additional costs to you. Please bring this
into your local Walgreens pharmacy to redeem.
Information below must be completed prior to receiving your shot.
NAME _________________________________________________________
DATE OF BIRTH _________________________________________________________
PCP NAME _________________________________________________________
HN ID # _________________________________________________________
Plan ID: IMZ
Group #5933XNSKV
EXPIRATION 11/14/2014
Vaccine not valid in ND. This voucher can be used only once. It may not be copied,
duplicated or transferred. HealthCare Clinic patient services provided by Take Care
Health Services, an independently owned professional corporation. “No charge?” refers
to out of pocket payment due at time of service. Vaccination indicated on this voucher
may be covered by your health plan benefit. This voucher is not insurance and may not
be used in combination with any insurance billing, co payment, or any other vaccination
payment or reimbursement. This voucher may not be redeemed for other vaccinations
not indicated on this voucher. Vaccines are subject to availability. State, age and health
condition related restrictions may apply.
Points cannot be earned in AR, NJ or NY. For complete Terms and Conditions, please
go to Walgreens.com/Balance for details.
Gadget Girl
IS HERE TO HELP - By Appointment Only
Got a gadget? Can’t figure it out? Give us a call.
Cell phone, ipads, laptops, Kindles and more!
480-499-8700 x7459
How to Talk to
Your Doctor
This is a new feature of
the newsletter designed to provide you
with tips for communicating with your
doctor.
TOPIC: Cholesterol
Here are the questions to ask.
1. What do my cholesterol numbers
mean?
2. What is my cholesterol goal?
3. How long will it take to reach my
cholesterol goals?
4. How does physical activity affect my
cholesterol levels?
5. What type of foods should I eat?
6. Should I avoid any foods or
medications?
7. Can I drink alcohol?
8. How does smoking affect my
cholesterol?
9. Do I need to take cholesterol
medication?
10.How will I know if the medication is
working?
SENIOR ADVANTAGE | QUARTERLY | ISSUE 3
Medicare Update
Medicare is Solvent
According to the 2014 Medicare Trustees
Report released the week of July 31, 2014,
the Medicare Hospital Insurance (Part A)
Trust Fund is now solvent through 2030—
four years longer than predicted last year
and thirteen years longer since passage of
the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Part
A Trust Fund will now be able to pay on
Medicare Part A inpatient claims in full for
the next 16 years, and the Supplemental
Medical Insurance (Part B and Part D) trust
fund remains on firm financial footing,
ensuring full payment for outpatient care
and prescription drug needs.
Additionally, according to the trustees, the
standard Medicare Part B premium will
NOT increase in 2015, remaining the same
for the third consecutive year at $104.90.
Senior Advantage Club
On the go...
Our group visited the Wrigley Mansion Thursday, August 21st for a wonderful lunch and tour. The
mansion is a landmark building constructed between 1929 and 1931 by the chewing-gum magnate,
William Wrigley, Jr, better known as his “Winter Cottage”.
The Mansion sits atop a 100-foot (30 m) knoll with views of greater Phoenix to the south, close to the
Arizona Biltmore Hotel, which Wrigley owned. Architect Earl Heitschmidt of Los Angeles designed
the home at a cost of $1.2 million, in a combination of styles including Spanish Colonial. It has 24
rooms, 12 bathrooms, and over 16,000 square feet . Much of the extensive tile work was shipped to
Phoenix from Wrigley’s own factory in Catalina, hauled by mule to the site.
The Wrigley’s maintained other residences in Chicago; Philadelphia; Lake Geneva, Wisconsin;
Catalina Island; and Pasadena, and used this, the smallest of their houses, for only a few weeks a
year. William Wrigley died in 1932, shortly after its completion. In July 1992, Geordie Hormel bought
the mansion.
Trip to Cliff Castle Casino
October 30th
Cost for members: $15
Non member guests: $20
Includes:
• Transportation
• Lunch Buffet
• $20 in free play credit upon arrival.
Deadline for reservations:
October 20th
480-499-8700 x5479
Customer Service Team
We’re here t o help
480-499-8750
Toll Free
1-855-711-2912
[email protected]
QUESTIONS RELATED TO
AUTHORIZATIONS • REFERRALS •
CLAIMS • SPECIALTY NETWORK
Non-plan related information