Medi-Cal | Wellpoint SSB | My Health | 2014 - page 5

My Health
· 5
Using your benefits is really simple. Just keep a few key things in mind:
Get to know what’s on your member ID card. Whether you’re a new member
or you just renewed, take a close look at your ID card. There’s a lot
right there. It has your plan name, your ID number, the phone
number for the Customer Care Center and more.
Always bring your member ID card with you when you go to
the doctor’s office.
Check that the doctor you are headed to is in the network
before you go. If you use a doctor who is not part of your
plan’s network, you could have problems like the plan not
paying for a service or the doctor not knowing a service
is not covered. And that means you might have to pay
more out of your own pocket. Call the doctor to check,
use our
Find a Doctor
tool on the home page or call us
at
1-800-407-4627
.
Take some time to read through your Member
Services Guide. This describes the features of
your plan in detail. Don’t wait for an emergency
to look at it for the first time. Read up
on your plan ahead of time and call the
Customer Care Center at
1-800-407-4627
about things in the guide that you don’t
understand. If you have hearing or speech
loss, call the TTY line at
1-888-757-6034
.
One more thing: pay close attention to
any letters you get from us. Call us if
you don’t understand anything in the
letters we send you. They are usually
important. We want to make it as easy
as we can for you to use your benefits
to the fullest.
Get the most from your plan
If you have a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who
takes a drug prescribed by a doctor for it, finding the right dose is key. The
right dose can help your child get the full effect of the drug with fewer side
effects. But what amount is right? To find out, your child’s doctor may have to
make dose changes from time to time or try different drugs. To be safe when
using ADHD drugs:
•   
Your child must take the drug exactly as prescribed.
When your child first starts on an ADHD drug, you should set up an office
visit within the first month with the doctor who prescribed the drug. This
helps the doctor know that the drug is working well.
•   
Pay attention to how your child first responds to the drug. Ask his or her
teacher as well. Since the best dose of each drug is not decided by a child’s
size or weight alone, reports from parents and teachers help the doctor make
sure that your child gets the right dose.
•   
Track progress using the drug over a period of time. There are checklists
and rating scales that can help you do this. Ask the doctor about how to
get them.
•   
See the doctor who prescribed the drug at least two more times within the
next nine months to help make sure the drug is working well. These two
visits could happen during well visits.
What to expect as your child grows
The dose may need to change. It’s important to see the doctor for ongoing well
visits and use this time to talk about any ADHD drug your child takes.
•   
Tell your child’s doctor if your child is taking other medicines (even those
sold over the counter) or vitamins.
Watch how well your child progresses in school, at home and overall.
•   
Call the doctor who prescribed the drug if you have any concerns
or questions.
Source: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry website:
Practice Parameters for the
Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with ADHD
(2007): aacap.org
Does your child have ADHD?
Learn how to help the
medicine work its best
Have a great local doctor? We want to know!
In a recent survey, members shared concerns about doctor choices. We hear you and are
working to add doctors to your plan. Is there a doctor you would like to be part of the
provider network? We want to know. Just call us at
1-800-407-4627
. Tell us the doctor’s
name. We will check to see if the doctor can join the network. Also, be sure to let us know
if you are having trouble getting the care you need. You can always call the number above
and ask for help getting your doctor visit.
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