Bear Facts
A Coventry Health Care Newsletter
Summer 2015
Back to school:
A checkup
checklist
It’s back-to-school time. And that means
it’s time for you to do a little homework.
Don’t panic! It won’t take much effort.
All you have to do is pick up the phone.
By making appointments for health and
dental checkups for your child, you’ll
help start the school year right.
Here’s a checklist. Schedule:
 A well-child checkup. A yearly exam
is important—even when your child
isn’t sick. It may help spot problems
early. And it gives your child’s provider
a chance to offer advice to your child
about how to stay healthy.
It’s also the time to:
●● Make sure that immunizations are
up-to-date.
●● Get answers to questions you or your
child might have.
●● Schedule the physical that may be
needed for your child to take part in
school sports.
Helping you stay healthy. Do you know your health
risks? Take a health survey and join a wellness program. Visit
www.CoventryCaresVA.com and select “Staying Healthy”
from the top navigation.
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 A hearing screening. Good hearing
makes it easier to perform well in school.
It also helps kids interact with others.
Things like infections and high noise
levels can affect hearing. So it’s good for
kids to be tested on a regular basis.
 An eye exam. Seeing well can be key
 A dental checkup. Trouble with your
to doing well in school. The sooner you
find vision problems, the better.
child’s teeth can make it hard to speak,
Get your child’s eyes checked before school starts.
Seeing well is part of being able to do well in school.
eat and concentrate. A checkup may
prevent serious problems and protect
your child’s smile.
If these visits reveal health concerns,
you may have one more call to
make—to your child’s school. Staff
there should know about your child’s
health conditions and what they can do
to help.
Sources: American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head
and Neck Surgery; American Academy of Pediatrics
Your privacy
matters
CoventryCares works hard to keep
members’ personal and health
information secure and private.
CoventryCares needs information
about you to help you receive
your benefits. We collect your
information from many places.
Keeping your information safe
is one of our most important jobs.
We make sure that only people
who need to use your information
have access to it.
We may use and share your
information for:
●● Treatment
●● Payment
●● Health care operations
These uses are covered under
state and federal laws. Our policies
will follow these laws to protect
your information.
If you would like to receive
a detailed copy of our
privacy practices, please call
Customer Service.
Have diabetes? Keep
these letters in mind
A diagnosis of diabetes means you’ve
got a lot to keep track of. And here’s
an easy way to remember some key
screening tests: The first three letters of
the alphabet.
A is for the A1C test. It shows what your
blood sugar has been in the past three
months. High blood sugar can hurt
your heart, blood vessels, kidneys and
eyes. The A1C goal for many people
with diabetes is below 7 percent.
B is for blood pressure. High blood
pressure makes your heart work too
hard. It raises your risk of both a heart
attack and a stroke. It also causes
kidney disease. Most people with
diabetes should keep their blood
pressure below 140/90.
C is for cholesterol. LDL—the bad
cholesterol—clogs your arteries. It
causes heart attacks and strokes.
On the other hand, HDL—the good
cholesterol—helps protect your heart.
Cholesterol goals vary by person, so
work with your health care provider to
help get yours in a healthy range.
Be sure to ask your provider:
●● What your A1C, blood pressure and
cholesterol numbers are
●● What these numbers should be
●● What you can do to reach your targets
Sources: American Diabetes Association; National
Diabetes Education Program
HEALTH TIP: Nutrition is an important aspect of living with
diabetes. Work with your provider to choose an eating plan that you
will be able to follow.
2
Be safe when it’s sunny
Summer means hot days and outdoor
adventures. It also means taking extra
steps to keep your family safe from too
much sun.
The sun can damage skin. Too much
sun can lead to wrinkles, age spots and
skin cancer.
Heat illnesses, such as heatstroke, are
another concern. Children and older
adults are most at risk. To protect against
heat illnesses:
●● Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
●● Keep inside when it’s hot. If it is very
hot and you don’t have air conditioning
at home, go someplace cooler, like
the library.
●● Stay in the shade when you’re outdoors.
●● Use sunscreen. Choose a type that has
a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least
30 and that protects from both UVA and
UVB rays. Apply more every two hours.
●● Wear clothes that will protect your skin,
such as long-sleeved shirts and widebrimmed hats.
Sources: American College of Emergency Physicians;
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Antidepressants: Five facts to know
Are you taking antidepressants? Here
are five important facts to know about
these drugs:
3. If one doesn’t help, another might. You
might need to switch medicines to
feel like yourself again.
1. They may take a while to work. It
might take about a month for them
to fully work. Try to be patient.
4. They all have side effects. Tell your
doctor if you have any.
He or she
might
change
your dose.
2. You can tell when they’re helping. Your
mood will improve. You’ll be able to
sleep better and you’ll have more
energy. It will be easier to handle
your normal tasks. You’ll notice these
changes. And so will your family.
5. It isn’t safe to suddenly stop taking
these drugs. If you stop using them
too quickly, you might feel dizzy or
have other side effects. So always
check with your doctor before you
stop taking this medicine.
Sources: American Academy of
Family Physicians; U.S. Food and
Drug Administration
Health tip. Talk with
your doctor. He or she can
help you avoid side effects
from stopping these drugs.
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3
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U.S. Postage
PAID
Walla Walla, WA
Permit No. 44
9881 Mayland Dr.
Richmond, VA 23233-1458
1-800-279-1878
TTY 1-800-828-1120 or 711
www.CoventryCaresVA.com
BEAR FACTS is published as a community service for the friends and members of CoventryCares of Virginia. This is general health information and should
not replace the advice or care you get from your provider. Always ask your provider about your own health care needs. Models may be used in photos and
illustrations. 2015 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. HYN31537 CCVA.M.BF.SUM.15
The care you
need, when
you need it
Getting sick does not always
happen at the most convenient
time. That is why we want you to
know that CoventryCares members
can use urgent care centers for
minor health problems when
the doctor’s office is closed. Visit
www.CoventryCaresVA.com for a
list of urgent care centers near you.
Advance directives:
Your right to decide
All adults in Virginia have a right to
prepare a document called an advance
directive to put their wishes regarding
medical care in writing. An advance
directive lets other people know the
types of medical
care you do and do
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not want in the event you are unable to
express your wishes on your own.
There are two kinds of
advance directives:
●● Appointment of agent. You may
authorize another person to make
Want to learn more? An advance directive form and additional
information about advance directives are available at www.vhha.com.
You can also call Customer Service at the number on your member
ID card.
decisions for you if you become
incapable of making informed health
care decisions for yourself.
●● Written health care directive. You
may state what kinds of health care
you want or do not want if you are
determined to be unable to express
your own wishes. These instructions
are often referred to as a “living will.”
In 2009, Virginia law expanded the
types of decisions you can make with
an advance directive. In 2010, Virginia
law changed to allow you to include
in your advance directive instructions
about all forms of health care, not just
end-of-life care.