Managing medical conditions

Health problems can become bad if not taken care of. You may need to go to the hospital or need surgery. Keeping you healthy is a joint effort. You, your doctor and health plan work together. You and your doctor remain in charge. We support you by:

  • Giving you helpful information about your disease
  • Helping you to stay on your treatment plan
  • Updating your doctor on your disease between office visits

We will help you learn about your disease. We will help you make informed health care decisions and stay healthy.

Call Member Services at 1-855-463-0933 (TTY: 711), 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week, if you have questions.

Asthma affects people in different ways. In some people it’s worse, and they have a lot of trouble breathing. Others don’t have as many problems. If you have asthma, the important thing is to discuss your case with your doctor. We’re here to help.

Your care coordinator is available to talk to you about your care, including things like:

  • Taking care of your asthma at home
  • Why taking your medicine is important
  • What causes asthma attacks
  • Why you need to do what your doctor tells you
  • Ways to change your habits so you feel better

It’s important to learn as much as you can about your asthma. To learn more, call Member Services at 1-855-463-0933 (TTY: 711), 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease. We can help you get care if you have COPD. Many people live active lives with COPD. We can help you live well too.

COPD happens slowly over time. At first, people may not know there’s a problem. With COPD, people’s lungs don’t work as well as they used to. Some people have worse COPD than others. That’s why everyone’s treatment is different. We’ll work with you and your doctor to find the best treatment for you.

Tell your doctor and your care coordinator if you have lung disease. We’ll find out if you are at low risk or high risk for problems with COPD. Your care coordinator is available to talk to you about your treatment, medications and therapies. If you are a smoker, your care coordinator can also talk to you about how to stop smoking.

It is important to learn as much as you can about your COPD. To learn more, call Member Services at 1-855-463-0933 (TTY: 711), 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week.

People with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood. If you have diabetes, we can help you manage it better. Without treatment, you could develop major health problems, like heart disease and kidney disease. Diabetes also can severely affect your eyesight.

Some people have mild diabetes. They take care of it by exercising and eating healthy foods. Other people have diabetes that is more serious. They have to take shots of a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps your body's cells use food the right way. Everyone with diabetes needs care from a doctor.

Tell your doctor and your care coordinator if you have diabetes. Call us if your doctor tells you that you have diabetes. We’ll work with you to see if you are at low risk or high risk for problems.

Your care coordinator is available to talk to you about your care, including things like:

  • How to take care of your diabetes
  • How to watch your blood sugar
  • Why you need to take your medicine
  • How to take good care of your feet
  • Why you need to do what your doctor tells you
  • How to learn healthy habits so you feel better

It’s important to learn as much as you can about your HF. To learn more, call Member Services at 1-855-463-0933 (TTY: 711), 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week.

Your heart is a wonderful machine that pumps blood to every cell in your body. Your blood carries oxygen and important nutrients your body needs. When your cells are fed properly, your body can function normally.

If you have heart failure (HF), your heart is weaker. It can't always supply the cells with enough oxygen. That’s why you may often feel tired or short of breath. Everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries can become very difficult.

Your care coordinator can help you get care from a doctor. It’s important to get good care. Otherwise, you may get much worse and need to go to the hospital.

Many people live very well with HF. You can too. To live well, however, you must see a doctor regularly and do what the doctor tells you. We’ll work with you and your doctor to get you the right treatment.

Most people with HF fit in one of four groups:

  • Group One: A person may not have signs of HF or heart damage. He or she may have other problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes or blocked blood vessels in the heart. We’ll teach you ways to live healthier if you are part of this group. Then it will be less likely that your HF will quickly get worse.
  • Group Two: A person's heart has been damaged. The heart is not as healthy as it could be. But the person does not show symptoms of heart failure. Maybe the person has had a heart attack or an infection in the heart. Maybe the heart valves are not working correctly. Your doctor may give you medicine called ACE inhibitors or beta-blockers if you’re part of this group.
  • Group Three: A person's heart may be damaged, as in Group Two. The person shows signs of  heart failure. We’ll teach you healthier habits to adopt if you’re part of this group. You’ll learn about exercise and eating healthy food. Also, your doctor may give you more medicines to treat your HF.  Your doctor may send you to a heart specialist.
  • Group Four: This is the most serious group. In this group, the heart is weaker. It may not be able to pump blood to the body very well. Your doctor will work with a heart doctor to treat you. It’s likely you may need to go to the hospital for treatment if you are part of Group Four.

It’s important to learn as much as you can about your HF. To learn more, call Member Services at 1-855-463-0933 (TTY: 711), 8 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week.