February 2012
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Volume 4
Healthcare
News and information from IU Health Plans to help you take good
care of your health.
IN THIS ISSUE
2 More Medicare benefits
3 Health classes
4 Pharmacy news
5 Winter weather and you
6 Nutrition tips
reminder
Health notes—Your questions,
a doctor’s answers
Q: “I made it through the holidays, but can overeating have an
impact on my heart health?”
Answered by: Yazid Fadl, MD, Indiana University Health Cardiovascular
A: Overeating and indulging in sodium-packed foods can cause health
problems for heart failure patients. Poor eating habits can lead to
swelling, difficulty breathing, higher blood pressure and other issues.
The key is to enjoy food in moderation.
Have you scheduled your
annual health prevention
exams for 2012? Early
scheduling can mean
early detection.
The most common form of heart failure is when the heart can’t pump
strong enough to keep blood flowing in the right direction, so it starts
to back up and fills the lungs with fluid. The following symptoms may
result: weight gain of 2-3 pounds in 2-3 days; difficulty breathing, even
while lying down; sweating with minimal exertion; leg swelling; and
chest discomfort.
ask the doctor
People with heart issues should avoid heavy-sodium meals often found
in restaurants and be cautious when engaging in strenuous physical
activity, like shoveling snow, which can place more stress on the heart.
If you’d like to submit a topic
or question for Health Notes,
e-mail egoff@iuhealth.org
or mail to IU Health Plans,
Attn: Newsletter Editor, 1776
N. Meridian St., Ste. 300,
Indianapolis, IN 46202.
For more information about this topic, talk to your healthcare provider.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical
emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.
A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and
treatment of any and all medical conditions.
iuhealthplansmedicare.org
Indiana University Health Plans is a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract. Other
pharmacies/physicians/providers are available in our network. Other plans may be available in the
service area.
New president named
Leadership change
at IU Health Plans
After 23 years in health
plan management, Alex
Slabosky retired from
Indiana University Health
Plans in December.
Slabosky helped first
M•Plan, and most recently
IU Health Plans achieve
national recognition for
quality and performance,
as reported by the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid
Services. IU Health Plans
thanks Slabosky for his
years of dedicated service
and wishes him and his
family the best in his
retirement.
IU Health recently named
Ryan Kitchell (below), the
system’s vice president and
treasurer, as president of
IU Health Plans. Before
joining IU Health in 2010,
Kitchell worked for the state
of Indiana as director of
the Office of Management
& Budget. He holds a
degree in economics from
Indiana University and a
master’s degree in business
administration from the
Tuck School of Business at
Dartmouth College.
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New year, new members, more
Medicare benefits
Indiana University Health Plans welcomed more than 1,000 new
members in January 2012, bringing the total number of members
to more than 8,000.
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also rang in the
new year by offering Medicare beneficiaries more preventive care
services and lower-than-expected Part B premiums. The standard
Medicare Part B premium for 2012 is $99.90. For newer Medicare
beneficiaries, that’s a decrease for those who were paying up to
$115.40 in 2011.
As a result of the Affordable Care Act, not only is the new annual
wellness visit covered, but Medicare now covers even more services
without cost to patients, including:
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Annual alcohol misuse screening
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Screening for depression in adults
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Intensive behavioral therapy for cardiovascular disease
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Behavioral counseling for obesity
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Screening for sexually transmitted infections and counseling
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Counseling to prevent tobacco use
You are encouraged to start off this year by scheduling your
preventive care screenings. Put yourself first. For a checklist
and schedule of recommended preventive services, visit
iuhealthplansmedicare.org > Select Members > Other Information
of Interest > Preventive Services Checklist, or call the IU Health Plans
Customer Solutions Center at 800.455.9776 for a printed copy.
Upcoming classes and programs
Learning about your health can make a difference
(Pre-registration required for some events. Space is limited in all classes.)
Health Reform and You
This class explores the history of health reform
and helps attendees understand how it can
impact their life and health.
Feb. 7, 1 pm
OASIS at Washington Park, Indianapolis*
Mar. 7, 9:30 am
OASIS at Broad Ripple Flanner & Buchanan*
Walkin’ and Movin’ for Me
This interactive class focuses on the benefits
of exercise. Try stationary walking and chair
dancing.
The Roadmap for Medicare Part D, Extra
Help and Health Reform
Learn the ABCD’s of Medicare and uncover
opportunities for Extra Help; understand the
Part D cycle and get updates on Medicare.
Feb. 28, 10 am
OASIS at Greenwood Village South*
Wii Are Fit
This interactive class focuses on the benefits
of exercise. Try Wii exercise and more.
Mar. 5, 11 am
OASIS at Greenwood Village South*
Feb. 14, 10:30 am
OASIS at Indy Parks, Broad Ripple Family
Center*
Mar. 13, 12:30 pm
Encore at CW Mount Community Center,
Tipton**
Feb. 28, 1 pm
OASIS at Washington Park, Indianapolis*
Calcium/Vitamin D and Osteoporosis
This class reviews the differences between
commercially available calcium and Vitamin D
along with osteoporosis education.
Mar. 15, 10 am
OASIS at Greenwood Village South*
Mar. 26, 10:30 am
OASIS at Speedway Flanner & Buchanan*
Over-the-Counter and Use of Generic
Medications
This class reviews commonly used OTC
medications and supplements and describes
generics and how they compare to brand
name medications.
Feb. 14, 10 am
OASIS at Washington Park, Indianapolis*
Adult CPR Class
Feb. 16, 5 pm
IU Health Paoli Hospital ***
Living Successfully with Diabetes
This course is designed to help you make and
maintain self-care behavior changes. You’ll get
many practical tips and discover better ways to
talk with your healthcare providers and family.
Feb. 27 – Apr. 16, 10 am
OASIS at Indy Parks, Broad Ripple Family Center*
Mar. 7, 12 pm
OASIS at Speedway Flanner & Buchanan*
Cardiovascular Health
Find out about the role cholesterol and blood
pressure play in your overall cardiovascular
health.
Apr. 2, 10 am
OASIS at Greenwood Village South*
*For OASIS registration, visit oasisnet.org/
Cities/Central/IndianapolisIN.aspx. You may
also contact OASIS to register and get a free
catalog of classes by calling 317.396.3751,
Monday – Friday from 10 am to 3 pm.
**For ENCORE reservations, contact
Encore Lifestyle & Enrichment Center at
765.675.4746.
***For IU Health Paoli Hospital reservations, call
812.723.7571 or e-mail ddavis4@iuhealth.org
by Feb. 13.
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News from IU Health Pharmacy
Safety information for high-risk medications
by Lora Melton, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist, Indiana University Health
The Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services (CMS)
monitors a list of drugs called
“high-risk medications” that
it considers to have a higher
risk of side effects when
compared to other available
drug choices. These medications
may have a greater risk of
serious side effects, including
but not limited to, increased
risk of falls, drowsiness and
confusion. A few of the most
commonly prescribed drugs
in this list include: Phenergan
(promethazine), Flexeril
(cyclobenzaprine), Premarin
(conjugated estrogens), Macrobid
(nitrofurantoin) and Vistaril/
Atarax (hydroxyzine).
The complete list of high-risk
medications from CMS includes
more than 50 drugs; if you
would like to review and obtain
a more comprehensive list of
these medications, please call
866.412.8644 and talk to one
of our pharmacy staff members.
Due to the potential increased
risk of side effects with these
drugs, most Medicare health
plans (including IU Health Plans)
have implemented safety
initiatives, including prior
authorizations to help educate
and ensure providers consider
these side effects and prescribe
the most appropriate drugs for
your conditions. Do not start or
stop taking drugs without first
talking to your doctor; make sure
to always ask your doctor about
potential serious side effects
from your drugs and if there are
safer alternatives available to
treat your conditions.
New infrared tool offers hope to heart disease patients
Technology produces
clearer images; debuts for
heart patients at IU Health
Methodist Hospital
New technology has the
ability to see the inside of
coronary blood vessels at up
to 10 times higher resolution
than previous tests, offering
hope for those suffering from
coronary heart disease and
other related heart issues.
Indiana University Health
Methodist Hospital is the
first and only facility in
central Indiana using optical
coherence tomography, or
“OCT.” OCT relies on infrared
light reflected off blood vessel
walls to produce high-quality
images that are approximately
10 times clearer than
ultrasound.
“OCT allows us to see where
we couldn’t see before by
better defining plaques in
the coronary arteries and
by identifying misplaced or
failing stents, both of which,
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if left untreated, could lead
to a heart attack,” says
interventional cardiologist
Saihari Sadanandan, MD. “We
can now better visualize the
nature of the plaque that
needs to be treated and more
precisely implant a stent to
improve blood flow.”
Coronary heart disease is the
narrowing of blood vessels
that supply blood and oxygen
to the heart. Poor blood flow,
which can result from plaque
buildup is a leading cause of
the disease. Heart disease,
which is an umbrella term for
several types of heart issues,
is responsible for about one in
every six deaths in the United
States and is the leading
cause of death in Indiana.
Become an organ donor—National
Donor Day is Feb. 14
More than a thousand Indiana residents and more than 100,000
people nationally await life-saving organ transplants. Register to
become an organ donor. It only takes a few minutes, and up to
eight lives may be saved for each individual that decides to become
a donor.
Go to donatelifeindiana.org. or choose
to become a donor when you apply
or renew your driver’s license with the
Indiana Department of Motor Vehicles.
Sign up today to become an
organ, eye, and tissue donor.
WORKPLACE PARTNERSHIP FOR LIFE
organdonor.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration
Don’t let snow, cold temps give you a heart attack
this winter
During snow shoveling, the
heart beats faster, blood
vessels dilate and the level of
stress hormones increases. All
of these factors can combine
to cause a heart attack in a
person at high risk—someone
with coronary heart disease,
high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, diabetes or
smoking habits.
“All of the things going on
inside someone’s body that
you see in someone who runs
a marathon also happen in
someone who shovels snow,”
says Yazid Fadl, MD, with
Indiana University Health
Cardiovascular. “You would not
go out and run a marathon
without training first, and the
same applies for shoveling—
you need to prepare.”
heart attack increases by two
percent.
Dr. Fadl says that’s because
the colder the temperature,
the more the body’s peripheral
arteries constrict, which, in
turn, puts additional pressure
on the heart.
The increased threat of heart
attack doesn’t stop with the
snow—a study published in
the British Medical Journal
found for each 1.8-degree
Fahrenheit drop in the
temperature, the odds of
“When you are in a cold
environment, your blood is
shunted from your skin and
muscles to your internal
organs. This increases the
resistance your heart sees
when pumping blood,” Fadl
says of the cold weather.
“This can raise blood pressure.
If you have people who are
already hypertensive and on
medication for blood pressure,
this could be a big issue.”
5
Special nutrient needs of older adults
Fiber
Eat more fiber-rich foods to help
stay regular. Fiber also can help
lower your risk for heart disease,
control your weight and prevent
type 2 diabetes. Eat whole-grain
breads and cereals and more
beans and peas. Fruits and
vegetables also provide fiber.
Eating right and staying fit are
important no matter what your
age. As we get older our bodies
have different needs, so certain
nutrients become especially
important for good health.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Older adults need more calcium
and vitamin D to help maintain
bone health. Calcium-rich foods
include milk, cheese, fortified
cereals and fruit juices, dark
green leafy vegetables and canned fish with
soft bones. If you take a calcium supplement or
multivitamin, choose one that contains vitamin D.
Vitamin B12
Fortified cereal, lean meat, and some fish and
seafood are sources of vitamin B12. Ask your
doctor or a registered dietitian if you need a
vitamin B12 supplement.
Potassium
Increasing potassium along with
reducing sodium (salt) may lower
your risk of high blood pressure. Fruits, vegetables
and low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt are good
sources of potassium. Also, select and prepare
foods with little or no added salt.
Know your fats
Foods that are low in saturated fats, trans fats and
cholesterol help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated
and monounsaturated fats.
The good nutrition reading list
These books have been
recommended by the
Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics and are
available at many local
libraries and bookstores.
Find out more at
eatright.org.
The African-American
Guide to Living Well
with Diabetes by
Constance Brown-Riggs,
MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN; with Tamara Jeffries. New
Page Books, 2010.
American Diabetes Association Guide to
Healthy Fast-Food Eating, 2nd Edition by Hope
S. Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, BC-ADM. American
Diabetes Association, 2009.
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The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and
Pre-Diabetes by Bob Greene; John J. Merendino Jr.
MD; Janis Jibrin, RD. Simon & Schuster, 2009.
101 Foods That Could Save Your Life by David
Grotto, RD. Bantam Dell, 2008.
American Dietetic Association Complete Food
and Nutrition Guide, 3rd Edition by Roberta
Larson Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS. Wiley, 2006.
Nutrition Awareness Day – March 14
Senior Cafes operated by LifeStream in
Delaware, Grant, Jay, Randolph, Henry and
Blackford counties will have special menus
and activities on Nutrition Awareness Day,
Mar. 14. In addition, they are offering
no-fare day on the New InterUrban rural
transportation system. Make reservations by
calling LifeStream at 800.589.1121.
Tips for better sleep
Clip
a
save nd
IU Health
Plans Medical
Management
Medical Management
associates help patients
navigate through the
health system by providing
education, assisting with the
assessment of care needs
and insurance coordination.
Medical management
services also include:
n People at any age need sleep to be at their best every day.
Poor sleep habits like going to bed late, falling asleep with the
TV on, or drinking too much caffeine can get in the way of a
good night’s rest. But there are things you can do for better
sleep. To wake feeling rested, try these tips:
n n n n n n Eat a healthy diet low in fat, alcohol, caffeine and calories.
This will support good sleeping patterns by keeping your mind
and body healthy.
Go to bed at the same time each day. To get your brain and
the rest of your body on schedule, try to go to bed at the
same time each night. And try to wake up at the same time
each morning—even on weekends.
Get active. Get ready for a good night’s sleep by being active.
And be social with friends and family during the day.
Form bedtime rituals. When it’s time for bed, take a bath, play
music, or read to calm your body and mind.
Make your sleep space comfortable. Set yourself up for
peaceful sleep. Draw the shades, turn on a fan, or use an eye
cover if you need one.
Use stress management and goal-setting techniques. They
can help you reach the end of your day feeling peaceful rather
than tired, anxious or frazzled.
If sleep problems affect your day-to-day life, see your doctor.
Together, you can find the cause of your lack of sleep. With
the right care, you can rest assured you’ll sleep better through
the night.
Coordination of medical
care
n Nurse assistance
n Behavioral health
n Advance care planning
n Chronic care management
n Disease management
n Medication management
n Social work assistance
n Education and coaching
n Access to community
services
For more information,
contact the IU Health Plans
Customer Solutions Center.
Get active!
Take action to be active and
discover a new, healthier you.
Join a Silver&Fit fitness club for a
$25 annual non-refundable fee!
Go to Silver&Fit.com to enroll or
call toll-free 877.427.4788 (TTY/
TDD 877.710.2746) Monday
through Friday from 8 am to 9 pm
Eastern time.
Tips for Better Sleep, Healthyroads, Inc. ©
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Need a directory update or interested in more health topics?
Find your online resources at iuhealthplansmedicare.org. First, go
to “Members” then to:
Get the latest updates on covered prescription drugs: Go to
“Member Information,” “Formulary Update,” then “Online Searchable
Formulary”
Get the latest updates on providers and pharmacies: Go to
“Member Information,” then “Provider Directory”
Search the health topic library: Go to “Other Information of Interest,”
then “A-Z Health Library”
IU Health wellness classes: Go to “Other Information of Interest,”
then “Community Wellness and Patient Education”
Find discounts, plus transportation and meal assistance
programs: Go to “Health and Wellness Information” in the “Already
an IU Health Plans Member” box on the website cover page
Let’s keep in touch
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to opt into messages from
IU Health Plans. You can
opt out at any time. Call
800.455.9776 for more
information or to register.
Contact the IU Health Plans HMO, HMO-POS Customer Solutions Center at 800.455.9776 (TTY only, call
Relay Indiana at 800.743.3333) 8 am – 8 pm, seven days a week. You may receive assistance through
alternate technology after 5 pm, on weekends, and holidays. Visit our website at iuhealthplansmedicare.org.
Health or wellness or prevention information
1776 N. Meridian Street, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46202-1404