health & family - molina healthcare & family is developed by molina ... a gum disease that...

www.MolinaHealthcare.com 1

In This Issue

Take Care of Your Teeth pg 1

Improving Services pg 2

Exercise for Health pg 3

Beat the Flu Bug pg 4

Flu Facts pg 5

Depression pg 6

Ask Your Doctor pg 7

motherhood matterssm Program pg 7

Quest Lab Announcement pg 7

Nurse Advice Line pg 8

Check out the Molina Healthcare website at www.MolinaHealthcare.com. You can use the Internet for free at most public libraries. “Click” on the member button and drag your mouse down to your state. You can get information on our website about:

•Molina Healthcare’s contracted doctors and hospitals•Your benefits, including copayments and

other charges (if they apply)•What to do if you get a bill or a claim•FAQs (frequently asked questions and

answers)•Drug formulary (approved drugs that doctors

can prescribe)•How to contact UM staff about a UM issue or

question•How to get primary care, hospital, specialty,

and emergency services•How to get care after normal office hours•Preventive health guidelines and

immunization schedule•Your rights and responsibilities and the

privacy of your information•Restrictions on benefits or how to obtain care

outside the Molina Healthcare service area•Quality Improvement, Health Education, and

Disease Management programs•How to voice a complaint or appeal a medical

decision•How we decide about using new technology

You can ask for printed copies of anything posted on the website by calling 1-866-472-4585. Your member handbook is also a good resource. You can find it on our website.

Health & Family is developed by Molina Healthcare, Inc. All rights reserved. All information has been written and reviewed by doctors, nurses, health educators, and registered dietitians. All material in this publication is for information only. This does not replace your doctor’s advice. Molina Healthcare does not discriminate in providing medical care on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, disability, or sex.

Take Care of Your Teeth!

Healthy teeth are important for you because they are an important part of your smile, how and what you eat, and the rest of your body’s health.

Plaque (pronounced plak) is a layer that forms on your teeth and helps bacteria grow. Bacteria breaks down tooth enamel and cause caries, also called cavities. Bacteria also cause gingivitis, a gum disease that makes gums swollen and sore. Bacterial infections in the mouth can make you sick.

How to protect your teeth:• Brush your teeth at least twice a day for three minutes.• Floss after brushing. Toothbrushes can’t get far enough in between

teeth where plaque forms.• Change your toothbrush every 3 months.• Visit the dentist at least once a year for a check up and cleaning.• Ask your doctor if any medicines you take might affect your teeth.• Don’t smoke or chew tobacco. If you want to quit smoking, call the

QuitLine at 1-877-822-6669.

Baby teeth are important too!• Even though baby teeth fall out, it is still important to take care of them.• If you don’t take care of baby teeth they might get infections that go

into the gums and affect the adult teeth coming in.• This might cause the adult teeth to come in crooked, damaged, or not at all. • Sending a child to bed with a bottle of milk or juice can cause cavities

because milk and juice have natural sugar in them.

Health & FamilyFlorida Newsletter • Fall 2011

Health & Family • Fall 2011 • Florida

2 www.MolinaHealthcare.com

Improving Services to Molina Healthcare MembersMolina Healthcare of Florida (MFL) wants you and your family to get good health care. MFL has a Quality Improvement (QI) Program that continues to measure and improve the care and services our members receive. Each year MFL sets goals to improve our services. One goal is to help you take better care of yourself and your family. We measure our progress by sending you surveys to fill out. Thank you for taking the time to do these surveys. We act on the information you give us. We do not know what needs to improve, if you do not fill out the survey and send it back. To ask questions, or to ask for a copy of the QI Program, call 1-866-472-4585.

CAHPS® Member Satisfaction SurveyOne of the surveys we send in the spring is the member satisfaction survey called CAHPS®, which stands for the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. This survey asks about your health care. It asks about the care you or your child gets from MFL. This tells us if you are happy with your care and your doctor. It also tells us what we can do better. It is important for us to know how you think we are doing. We will continue to work to improve our services based on your responses of the survey. This year:

You told us that we have improved on: • Making it easier for you to get the care you need• Sending information on Health Promotion and

Education• Coordination of care

You told us that we need to improve on:• Member perceptions around customer service• Communication with doctors

Opportunities for Improvement:• Deficiencies in Customer Service soft skills.• Improvements needed on Customer Service

Representative Benefit knowledge and reference material.

• Lack of health plan member tools to assist in communicating with providers.

• Lack of identifying service area gaps as it relates to member access and availability needs.

Our Goals for 2012 are:• Increase Overall Rating of Health Plan • Strengthen Customer Service • Educate providers in communicating with our

members• Look at any concerns or problems relating to our

providers.

HEDIS®MFL is committed to providing quality and effective care to all of our members. We evaluate the quality, value, and commitment of your health plan through HEDIS®, which stands for Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set. We use HEDIS® to measure and improve our overall quality of care. These scores tell us how many of our members get needed services. There are scores for shots, well child exams, pap and mammogram screenings, diabetes care, and prenatal and after delivery care. These scores help you compare one health plan to another plan.

Here are some services you need:• Childhood Immunization• Immunizations for Adolescents• Lead Screening in Children• Breast Cancer Screening• Cervical Cancer Screening• Chlamydia Screening in Women• Diabetes Eye Exam

Some of the ways we help you get care include:• Reminders about getting well child exams and

immunizations • Asthma and Diabetes education • Education on getting prenatal care and after

delivery exams • Better processing of member grievances • Help you find the Molina Healthcare website • Tell you about special services we have for members

To learn more or to ask questions, call Member Services at 1-866-472-4585.



Exercise for HealthYou can make exercise easy with just a few minutes a day. Make exercise fun with games or sports to help you lose weight, improve your health and spend more time with friends and family.

Many doctors are worried about children and adults who weigh more than is healthy for them. A lot of people spend time relaxing in front of the T.V. This is a good way to unwind after a busy day, but too much time in front of the T.V. is not healthy.

There are ways you can get exercise without trying too hard. Exercise will help you sleep better, be in a better mood, and improve things in your body like weight, or blood pressure or cholesterol.

Exercise ideas for you:

•Get off the elevator one floor early and use the stairs.

•Park a little farther in parking lots and walk a little extra.

•If it is safe, get off the bus one stop early and walk the extra few blocks.

•Do simple stretches while you watch T.V. or wait in line.

•Cleaning the house is a great workout.

•Mowing the lawn or gardening burns a lot of calories.

•Go dancing with your family or friends.

Exercise with your child:

•Take a walk to the store or park with your child. Make it fun by looking for treasures or counting how many dogs you see.

•Kick a soccer ball around for 20 minutes or shoot baskets together.

•Play tag or jump rope.

•Have a couple of races. Make it fun by timing how fast you can run around the house or to the neighbor’s car.

•Have a hula hoop or long jumping contest.

Sometimes it helps to set a time for exercise. Some people like to go for a short walk after dinner.

Try to make a goal like exercising for 20 minutes every day. Try to do it at the same time every day, and stick with it!

You can make a plan with your doctor. Talk to your doctor about exercise activities that are safe for you and your family. For some people, some forms of exercise may not be healthy, so make sure you ask.

It may seem impossible to get more exercise. You might think you don’t have enough time, or you feel too tired, or you are worried about getting hurt. Even though it is hard to get started, exercise will actually give you more energy. Everyone can fit in ten or fifteen minutes of stretching or a walk around the block to keep your body healthy. Your doctor can help you find a good plan that fits your life and your family.

FLOYD the Flu Bug



Are You Prepared to Beat the Flu Bug? Flu season is almost here. Don’t get caught off guard. While you can’t completely avoid getting sick, you can take simple steps to avoid getting the flu. Here are some tips that can help you stay healthy this flu season:

• Get the flu shot(vaccine)• Practice good hygiene• Boost your immune system• Learn the facts about the flu

To learn more about these four tips, read below.

Get the Flu ShotYour best defense against the flu is to get a flu shot. Getting the flu shot can greatly reduce your risk of getting the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all people six months of age and older should get an annual flu shot. Certain people have a higher risk for flu complications. These people include:

• Pregnant women• People 65 years of age and older• People of any age with certain chronic medical

conditions, such as asthma or diabetes• People who live in nursing homes or other long-

term care facilities • People who care for those at high risk for

complications from the flu• People who have household contact with those at

high risk for complications from the flu• Day care workers of children six months of age

or younger. These children are too young to be vaccinated. Vaccinated adults reduce the risk of passing the virus to young children

• Healthcare workers

Ask your provider if the flu shot is right for you.

Practice Good HygieneThe flu virus can spread easily. Coughing and sneezing spreads infected droplets. You can get the flu if you inhale these droplets. You can also get the flu if you touch the droplets then touch your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands.

This is why it is important to wash your hands often. Make sure to use soap and warm water. Teach your children to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. Make it fun. They can count to 20 or sing the happy birthday song while they wash. Keep hand sanitizer nearby for when soap and water are not available.

Boost Your Immune SystemTo stay healthy this flu season make sure to keep your immune system strong. You can do this by:

• Eating a healthy diet. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

• Exercising often. Be active most days of the week. Aim for 30-60 minutes a day.

• Managing stress. Try to maintain a balance between work, family and personal life. Ask for support from friends and family when needed.

• Getting enough sleep. Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Children and teens need more. Visit www.sleepfoundation.org for more information.

Continued on page 5



Flu Facts Knowing the facts about the flu can help you stay healthy this flu season.

Myth: The flu vaccine (shot) can give you the flu. Fact: You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine (shot).

Myth: The flu is a mild illness.Fact: The flu can make you very sick. A mild viral illness, such as a cold, can be confused with the flu. The flu is serious.

Myth: I got the flu vaccine (shot) last year. I don’t need it again this year.Fact: You need to get the flu vaccine (shot) every year. Flu virus strains often change from year to year. The flu vaccine (shot) is made to work against the predicted strains for that season.

Myth: The flu vaccine (shot) only works if I get it during October or November.Fact: The flu vaccine (shot) protects you from the flu as long as the flu viruses are out there. Flu season can last as late as May. It is recommended that you get the flu vaccine (shot) as soon as it is available in the fall. It will last throughout the year.

Treating the FluIf you get the flu, make sure to stay home and take good care of yourself. Eat well and drink fluids to stay hydrated. Popsicles are a good way to help children stay hydrated if they refuse all other liquids. You should also get plenty of rest. Over-the-counter medicines may be used to reduce fever, aches and pains. If you have other medical conditions or take other medicines, ask your provider or call the Nurse Advice Line before taking additional medicines.

Remember, the flu is a virus. That means antibiotics won’t cure it. Antibiotics fight illness caused by bacteria. They don’t work against illnesses usually caused by viruses like colds, the flu, or most coughs and sore throats.

Call Molina’s 24-Hour Nurse Advice Line if you have questions about the flu or other health issues. Call 1-888-275-8750 (TTY: 1-866-735-2929). Nurses are there to take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.



Depression

The holidays can be fun, but for some people they can be hard. Winter holidays may make people feel depressed because:

• In winter there is not as much sun. Sunshine helps our body make chemicals that fight depression.

• We think of loved ones not with us at holiday times.

• We think of our blessings and our challenges at holiday times.

• The media prompts us to spend more money than perhaps we should, then we may regret it.

The signs vary from person to person. You may feel “down” for more than two weeks. These feelings may be interfering with your daily life. If so, you may need to talk to your doctor about depression.

Symptoms of Depression

• Feelings of sadness, frustration or stress.

• Less interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies.

• Loss of energy, feeling tired even though you aren’t being active.

• A change in appetite, weight or sleeping patterns.

• It is hard to make decisions or concentrate.

• Feelings that you are not worthy, are hopeless, or feeling guilty.

• Any thoughts of suicide or death.

If you have any or some of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about depression. Some people can treat their sad feelings with more exercise, change of diet, and surrounding themselves with family or friends. Others might need the help of medication or someone to talk to.

Be sure to ask for help if you need it! Your doctor can come up with a plan that will help you feel better.



Quest Lab Announcement

motherhood matterssm Program

Molina chose Quest Diagnostics as the exclusive lab. As of July 1, 2011 you can use Quest Diagnostics for lab work. Quest Diagnostics has several locations in Florida. You can make an appointment on line to shorten your wait time. Visit our website www.MolinaHealthcare.com to learn more.

Pregnancy is an important time in your life. If you are pregnant or think you might be, please call us and let us know. Molina Healthcare offers the motherhood matterssm program for pregnant women. Through the program you will get the support you need to have a healthy pregnancy. For more information or to enroll in the program, please call us toll-free at 1-866-472-4585. Call now to enroll. Your Baby’s good health begins when you are pregnant.

Questions to Ask Your DoctorIf you are like most people, going to the doctor can be a little intimidating sometimes.

There is so much you want to ask your doctor! It is easy to forget questions you have. Sometimes you don’t think to ask the question until you are already home.

Write down the most important things you need to talk to your doctor about. And, write down the questions that will help you get the answers you need during your appointment.

Here are some questions to get you started when you are at the doctor’s office:

• What is my main problem and what caused it?

• What tests or medicines or treatments do you suggest?

• How will the treatments help?

• Will there be any side effects?

• Should I avoid certain medicines, activities, or foods?

• How soon before I can expect results?


5887DM0711

8300 NW 33rd St, Suite 400Doral, FL 33122

Questions about your health?

Call Our Nurse Advice Line!

English: 1-888-275-8750 Spanish: 1-866-648-3537

OPEN 24 HOURS!Your family’s health is our priority!

For the hearing impaired please call TTY (English): 1-866-735-2929TTY(Spanish): 1-866-833-4703

health & family - molina healthcare & family is developed by molina ... a gum disease that...

Documents