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Show INTER MOUNTAIN our health plan should be on your side when your health is at stake. I good health plan will help you get well when you're sick or injured, fl great health plan will reach out to you even when you're not sick to help you stay healthy. Sometimes, this gap between good and great can be bridged by consumers who are sauuy enough to take full aduantage of their health plan's services. Here are six ways you can make your health plan be more of an advocate for your health. USE anytime for answers to health questions. The service also includes access to a Telehealth Library, where callers can hear messages 11 1C RN d HEALTH CARE Go through the booklets you get from your health plan at annual enrollment time and highlight those facilities nearest you. Or call your health plan representative. though I've given fiirdi before, re learned the Baby Ties classes said Qrttet a lot "Even SELF-CAR- E a RESOURCES. Rubio, age 21. She and her husband are their third child. Baby Ties is a expecting Think alxut it: We treat ourselves for the great majority of the conditions that ail us, without seeking help from medical professionals. The skinned knee, the mashed finger, the cold or flu are all common complaints we typically care for ourselves. Studies show more than 80 of all health care is Vet many of these occurrences are borderline cases, where we wonder whether and young mothers prenatal program for teen-ag- e offered by IHC Home Care Services in Ogden, Utah. Croce is a member of IHC Access, self-car- we should attempt treatment or call on a Self-car- e resources can make professional. a difference in these situations some- times a difference between life and death, as was the case with Jill Nickcll (see page S). resources? Some What are e health plans provide members with manuals publications that help members decide when a situation requires the attention of medical professionals. Some of these manuals describe symptoms and provide flowcharts to help with decision-makin(If temperature is above 104 degrees, call your doctor"). Telephone health hotlines are another kind of resource. For example, members of 11 1C Health Plans can call self-car- e self-car- self-car- e E a health plan for people eligible for Medicaid. "As a small employer, we needed a health plan that was not just affordable; it was most important to us that our employees felt good about it," said llflll QUasost. Steve and his wife Judy are the owners of Precision Lttho, a printing company in the Salt Lake Talley. "IHC made our decision very easy," Judy sold. "Bottom line: With IHC, ire know the quality has been taken care of." For example, callers to IHC RN can conned to a Patient Advocacy Team who will help the member fixate a convenient source of care if their own physician is not available. The team can also answer other service questions. If you have any questions about the qualifications or background of your physician, feel free to ask either the about health topics. IHC RN now allows callers to access this library while they are waiting to talk to a registered nurse. KNOW WHERE TO GO. Your health plan prosides access to a range of health care professionals and facilities. Do you know which ones are closest to you? Its a good idea to find out before you need care. You should know: a) the nearest hospital emergency room; b) the nearest urgent physician or your health plan. Your health plan should offer a choice of physi- care center for problems that dont require a visit to the ER (examples of such urgent care centers include IHC InstaCares and some IHC Health Centers); and c) your physicians office. Find out the hours for each type of care center, and ask how you would get care on a weekend or in the middle of the night. Some health plans now offer services to help members find the help they need. cians and care sites, so don't hesitate to get the information you need to make the choices you feel are right. Virtually every health plan covers emergency medical services required by members who are traveling. If you're con- cerned about health issues related to travel or arc planning an extended stay outside your service area, ask your health plan representative about your coverage. |