Managing chronic diseases
If you’re managing a chronic condition, we can help you get the treatment you need to feel better. You’ll learn more about your condition, including ways to manage your symptoms, so you can be your healthiest.
Our care management team
Our team will come up with a care plan that’s right for you. They’ll ensure you get the care and services you need.
You’ll have nurses and social workers to help you:
Connect to other resources and get referrals for specialized care
Work with your health care providers
Understand your symptoms
Get services after normal business hours when you really need them
Arrange services for children with special health care needs, such as well-child care, health promotion, disease prevention and specialty care
Learn more about chronic diseases
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Asthma is common and affects people in different ways. If you have symptoms, you’ll want to discuss them with your provider. Here’s how we can help:
First, we’ll see if your asthma is low risk or high risk. If it’s low risk, we’ll give you tips for caring for yourself year-round. That way, you can better manage your symptoms when they appear.
If it’s high risk, a care manager will call you to talk about your asthma care. You’ll talk about things like:
How to take care of your asthma at home
Why you should take your medicine as prescribed
What might cause an asthma attack
How to change your habits so you can feel better
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COPD is a lung disease. Our care management team works with members who have COPD to help them get the support they need to feel better.
First, we’ll see if your COPD is low risk or high risk. If it’s high risk, a care manager will check in on you to make sure you’re getting the help you need. They’ll talk to you about your treatment. In some cases, you might get a prescription for oxygen therapy or more medicine. If you smoke, your care manager can help you come up with a plan to quit smoking.
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CAD is the most common form of heart disease. Cholesterol can start to collect in your arteries. This makes the heart work harder to do its job.
Tell your provider if your family has any history of CAD. We’ll create a care program to help treat and prevent your symptoms.
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Diabetes can be a lot to handle alone. We’re here to help you manage and treat your diabetes. First, we’ll work with you and your provider to see if your diabetes is low risk or high risk.
If it’s low risk, we’ll get you the info and help you need to take care of yourself.
If your diabetes is high risk, we’ll help you learn how to:
Manage your diabetes
Watch your blood sugar
Take your medicine
Care for your feet
Practice healthy habits
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Do you ever have shortness of breath doing everyday activities? If so, you might be showing symptoms of heart failure. We’ll work with your provider to help you manage and prevent those symptoms. We’ll come up with treatment options so you can get the care you need. Many of our members with heart failure live healthy, active lives.
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HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It can make fighting infections harder for you. With help from our team, you can get the support you need. They’ll coordinate care with your providers and help you manage symptoms, like:
Swollen lymph glands
Fever
Night sweats
Diarrhea
Skin rashes
Sores
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The hepatitis C virus affects your liver. If you have the virus, we can help you manage symptoms, like:
Bleeding easily
Bruising easily
Losing appetite
Itching skin
Yellowing of skin
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When you have high blood pressure, your blood puts a lot of pressure on your artery walls. Over time, this can damage your arteries, heart and kidneys. You may not know these problems are happening. And if not treated, high blood pressure can lead to other severe issues, like heart attack and stroke. Normal blood pressure should be below or around 120/80. Your provider can tell you what blood pressure is best for you. We can work with them to help you find ways to lower it or manage it. Learn more about high blood pressure
Other health conditions
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Bedsores (also called pressure injuries, pressure ulcers or pressure sores) form when pressure blocks blood flow to your skin. They often start where bones sit close to the skin, like heels, hips and tailbone.
Without enough blood, the skin and tissue can get damaged and break down. You can get a pressure injury if you sit or lie in one position too long. These sores can hurt and may take a long time to heal.
Call your doctor when you first see any signs of:
Redness that doesn’t go away after the pressure source is removed
Cracked, blistered or broken skin
Red, shiny skin that is painful or warm to the touch, or that feels spongy or hard
Skin that has lost feeling (sensation)
A darker area of skin
Any wound that drains or that has a bad odor
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Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) mainly affects older adults. With MCI, you may have trouble thinking clearly or remembering things. These changes go beyond normal age-related forgetfulness. But MCI does not cause the severe problems you see with dementia. Most people with MCI can still live independently and handle daily tasks.
MCI can raise your risk for Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. And many people with MCI never develop dementia. Some people keep the same symptoms for years, and some improve over time.
There’s no cure for MCI, but you may be able to prevent your symptoms from getting worse. Your doctor may suggest healthy habits, like staying active and eating well.
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Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. Bacteria, viruses, or fungi can cause it. These germs can fill the lung air sacs with fluid or pus. Older adults, children under 2 and smokers face higher risk.
People with lung disease, like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also face higher risk. A weak immune system also raises your risk. This includes people with HIV/AIDS or people getting chemotherapy.
You can take steps to lower your risk of pneumonia. These may include a combination of preventing infection, caring for your body and vaccines.
Questions?
You can call Member Services at 1-855-232-3596 (TTY: 711).