AdvantageWINTER. The. M a r t i n s P o i n t G e n e r at i o n s A d v a n ta g e A NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS OF

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1 The AdvantageWINTER 2016 A NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS OF M a r t i n s P o i n t G e n e r at i o n s A d v a n ta g e Our Prime (HMO-POS) and Value (HMO) Plans two years in a row!

2 Happy New Year! Dear Neighbors, As we come into the New Year together, I want to take a moment to welcome our new Martin s Point Generations Advantage members and to thank our continuing members. Since Generations Advantage is Maine s local Medicare Advantage plan you are not only members; you re also our family, friends, and neighbors. We re happy to be able to serve you in the year ahead. To start the New Year in the best health, here are a few suggestions that may help: Visit Your Primary Care Provider The relationship you have with your Primary Care Provider (PCP) is important. We want you to see your doctor regularly, so Generations Advantage offers a Medicare Wellness Visit and an Annual Physical Exam each year at no cost (when you see a doctor in our network). Many doctors will schedule both visits in one day so you can have both in one comprehensive visit. Call your doctor and schedule them today. Don t Forget Your Screenings and Tests Health screenings can help with prevention and early detection of health conditions. Regular blood and urine tests can be an important part of staying healthy, especially if you have a condition such as high cholesterol or diabetes. Ask your doctor if you need to schedule any tests and screenings in the year ahead. Keep Track of Your Medications It s also important to know the medications you are taking and keep your prescriptions filled and up to date. If you have any questions about your medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist. In the back of this newsletter you ll find a Medicine Tracker for your current medications. We recommend you fill it out and take it to your PCP visits. Ask Questions We know health care can sometimes be confusing. When you ask questions, it helps start important conversations with your health care providers which can help you better understand your health conditions and medications. Member Services is here to help you if you have questions about your plan benefits. I am so glad we are starting this New Year off together. Have a happy and healthy 2016! Rebekah Dube, PharmD Vice President, Senior Products Martin s Point Health Care Generations Advantage Contact Information Member Services (for current members) (TTY: 711) We are available 8 am 8 pm, seven days a week from October 1 to February 14; and 8 am 8 pm, Monday through Friday from February 15 to September 30. Interested in becoming a member? Please call (TTY: 711) Generations Advantage Website Living Healthy Program Line Hour Nurse Line Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next. For 2015 and 2016, Contract H5591 (Prime, Value) earned 5 Stars and H1365 (Select) earned 4.5 Stars for Overall Plan Rating from CMS. Visit for more information. Martin s Point Generations Advantage is a health plan with a Medicare contract offering HMO, HMO-POS, HMO SNP, and PPO products. Enrollment in a Martin s Point Generations Advantage plan depends on contract renewal.

3 Four Quick Tips: Medication Safety As you age, you might be prescribed more medications. Taking medicine incorrectly, or taking the wrong medicine, may cause serious health problems. Here are four quick tips that can help keep you safe: 1 Keep a record of your medicines. Use the Medicine Tracker in this newsletter to keep a record of all your medications, including vitamins, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs (such as aspirin or allergy medicine). Update the list when you start or stop taking a medication or when a dose changes. 2 Talk to your doctor. Take the list to every doctor s appointment. Tell your doctor if you have allergies to medicine, or if you ve had problems with a medicine in the past. 3 Get the facts about your medicine. When you get a new prescription, ask your doctor to write down why you need it. For example, instead of, take once a day, ask your doctor to write, take once a day for high blood pressure, on the prescription instead.! 4 Follow your treatment plan. It s important to take medicine as prescribed. If you have any side effects, tell your doctor or pharmacist. If you need a refill, call your pharmacy before you run out. If you have difficulty getting to the pharmacy, we have a mailorder program that might help. Call Member Services for more information. If you have difficulty paying for your medicine, call Member Services. They can provide a list of pharmacy assistance programs in your area. Do You Have an Overactive Bladder? Accidentally leaking urine, also known as urinary incontinence or overactive bladder, can affect your daily activities and quality of life. Leaking urine as you get older can have multiple causes and is not a normal part of aging. If you have concerns about getting to the bathroom in time, leaking urine, feeling like you need to go to the bathroom often, or getting up at night to use the bathroom, please talk with your doctor. Below are a few things you may expect when talking with your doctor: If urinary incontinence is interfering with daily activities and causing worry or embarrassment, your doctor will likely test your urine and blood. You may need to keep a record of when you leak urine and how frequently you go to the bathroom. Testing may be done to see if your bladder empties completely when you use the bathroom. Treatments may include bladder training, exercise, medication, and surgery. It is important to discuss urine leakage problems with your PCP. Ask Your Doctor

4 10 Healthy New Year s Resolutions for Older Adults If you re thinking about New Year s resolutions, consider these healthy ideas: Eat healthier Experts recommend at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Find more information at mypyramid.gov or ask your doctor. Take a multivitamin Find a product that includes 100% of the Daily Value for most vitamins and minerals. Exercise Exercise can help control weight, build muscle and bone, and improve balance, posture, and mood. Ask your doctor before beginning an exercise program. See your doctor regularly Generations Advantage offers all members a Medicare Wellness Visit and an Annual Physical Exam each year. With an innetwork doctor you can have both in one appointment at no cost to you! Toast with a smaller glass Excessive drinking can contribute to depression and other health problems. Guard against falls Exercise can help you avoid falls, a leading cause of injury and death among older adults. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review your medications to make sure there are no interactions that could create a fall risk. Give your brain a workout The more you use your mind, the better it will work. Read. Do crossword puzzles. Try Suduko. Socializing also gives your brain a boost. Quit smoking Quitting can help cut your risk of health problems no matter how long ago you started. Speak up when you feel down or anxious Lingering sadness, a loss of appetite or pleasure in doing things you once enjoyed, difficultly sleeping, worry, irritability, and wanting to be alone can be signs of depression. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these signs for more than two weeks, and reach out to friends and family. Get enough sleep Older adults need just as much sleep as young people at least seven to eight hours a night. The National Sleep Foundation has sleep tips at *Adapted from Top 10 Healthy New Year s Resolutions for Older Adults from Healthinaging.org. Drug List Changes Generations Advantage Prime, Select, Value Plus, and Focus DC plans include Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). The formulary, or drug list, for these plans is frequently updated to keep pace with the latest research and developments. The formulary may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary. A list of recent formulary changes is on our website, On our website you can also find the complete list of medications covered under the Generations Advantage formulary. If you have any questions about our formulary or your medications, please speak with your doctor or pharmacist, or call Member Services.

5 Planning a trip? Generations Advantage Travels With You Wherever You Go Did you know your Generations Advantage plan provides coverage when you travel? You ll find answers to frequently asked questions below: When I travel, should I bring my Generations Advantage Member ID Card? Ye s. You will need to show your Member ID card when you get medical services. You will also need to show it when you pick up prescriptions if your plan includes Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). What medical care is covered when I am traveling? Urgent Care is covered nationwide. If you need care when you re outside of our network area, go to a local urgent-care center. This is often a convenient and lowercost alternative to an emergency room. Emergency Care is covered worldwide. If you think you re having a medical emergency, call 911 if you re in the US. Go to the nearest Emergency Room. In foreign countries, you may have to pay for your care up front and ask to be reimbursed later. Coverage for care that is not urgent or an emergency varies from plan to plan. Check your plan s Evidence of Coverage booklet or call Member Services for details BEFORE you see a doctor for care that is not urgent. What if I need a prescription filled while I m away? Plan ahead to bring enough of your prescription drugs to last your whole trip. If your plan includes Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) and you re concerned that you ll run out of a prescription drug while away, ask your doctor for a new prescription to fill at your destination. You can go to any of the national pharmacies in our network. These include: Costco, CVS, Kroger, Publix, Rite Aid, Safeway, Walgreens, Walmart, and Winn- Dixie. To find the network pharmacy nearest you, check our website at or call Member Services. How do I get plan information while I m away? Visit our website at Medicare to see all of your plan documents online. We also have pharmacy searches, reimbursement forms, even health and wellness information. Give us a call! If you re away and have any questions, please call Member Services. We ll even give you an update on the weather in Portland! Nurse Line Available 24 Hours Our plan also provides a 24-hour nurse line to members. You can reach a Registered Nurse at any time, day or night, for answers to any health questions. To reach our nurse line, call , 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

6 THE ADVANTAGE MEMBER NEWSLETTER WINTER 2016 Ask the Experts As a Generations Advantage member, we invite you to call Member Services with any questions. We asked a few of our Member Service representatives to answers some common questions. Barbara Hometown: New Gloucester Q: I switched to Generations Advantage from a supplemental plan. Should I cancel my supplemental plan? A: Yes, you need to cancel your supplemental plan. It will not automatically be canceled. You don t need a supplemental plan in addition to your Generations Advantage plan. To avoid overpayment, cancel your supplemental plan by contacting the supplemental plan carrier today. Q: I was a member last year and now I have two member ID cards. Which one should I use? A: For 2016, you should use the ID card with the orange stripe on the right side. Anyone who was a member last year received a new, 2016 member ID card in the mail in December. If any of the information is not correct on your card, or if you need a new card for any other reason, call Member Services. Mackenzie Hometown: Brunswick Steven Hometown: Casco Q: What is a referral on my plan? How do they work? A: A referral is the approval your primary care provider (PCP) gives before you can use other providers, such as a specialist. On our plans referrals are just conversations between you and your PCP; we don t require a written referral. So if you think you need to see a specialist, have a conversation with your PCP. It s important to have this conversation before meeting with the specialist or other provider. How referrals work depend on the type on plan you re on. The Prime, Value, Value Plus, and Focus DC plans require referrals for most services; please see your Evidence of Coverage booklet for more information. On the Select (PPO) plan you do not need a referral from a PCP to see a specialist. We suggest having a conversation with your PCP before you see other doctors, but it s not required. Q: I usually have a family member or someone with power of attorney handle my health care benefits. Can someone else call and ask questions about my account? A: Yes, you are allowed to authorize someone to speak on your behalf. The best way to authorize someone for this is to call Member Services. Q: Where can I get the flu shot? A: You have two options to get your flu shot at a pharmacy in our Vaccine Pharmacy Network or at your doctor s office. For more information, go to our website or call Member Services.

7 Medicine Tracker List all medicines I take, including prescriptions, eye drops, inhalers/nebulizers, oxygen, creams and ointments, etc. Medication Name When and how much I take? What do I take it for? Doctor/ Prescriber Date added or changed Medication Tips Here are some tips to help you take your medications correctly especially if you take several: Talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to understand what each medication is treating and why you are taking it. Here are some questions you might ask: What is the name of the medication? Why am I taking it? When and how am I supposed to take it? How long am I supposed to take it? Should I avoid anything (food, driving, alcohol, other medications)? What are the side effects? What happens if I don t take it or if I miss a dose? Over-the-Counter Medicines Medicines you can buy without a prescription: (Check all that you use regularly.) Allergy medicine, antihistamines Antacids (for heartburn or stomach) Aspirin Cold/cough medicines Diet pills Herbals, dietary supplements, hormones Laxatives Sleeping pills Vitamins, minerals Pain, headache, or fever medicine Other:

8 Martin s Point Generations Advantage PO Box 9746 Portland, Maine NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #186 PORTLAND, ME It s Not Too Late for a Flu Shot If you ve already had your flu shot, thanks for taking care of yourself. If you haven t, please consider getting this important vaccination as soon as possible. Flu activity most commonly peaks in January or February, and can occur as late as May. Between five to 20 percent of the population gets the flu each year and seniors are especially at risk. Hannaford Pharmacies are one option for your flu shot. For more information on how the flu shot is covered, go to or call Member Services. Health and Wellness or Prevention Information Medicare Wants to Hear From YOU and So Do We! Two Surveys Coming Soon! If you were a member of a Generations Advantage plan last year, in the next few months you may receive two different surveys in the mail sent on behalf of Generations Advantage. One survey is about your experience and satisfaction with your health plan. One survey is about the quality of the health care you receive. Medicare requires that all health plans mail these surveys each year. The surveys help us understand how well we are meeting our members expectations and show us areas where we can improve. They are also an Two Surveys Coming Soon! important way for Medicare to hear directly from you about your health care experiences. A company named MorPace will conduct the surveys. Your feedback is anonymous and will not affect your benefits or your membership in your Generations Advantage plan. If you have any questions about the surveys you receive, please call Member Services. We know your time is valuable. Thank you, in advance, for taking the time to let us know how we are doing!