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Anthem is taking action to help people affected by the wildfires in Lake, Mariposa, Mendocino, Napa, Riverside and Shasta counties by revising medical and pharmacy guidelines that will help ensure members can continue care and access needed prescription medications. The items pertaining to pharmacy apply to Anthem’s relationship with Express Scripts. It’s important that our members know what Anthem is doing for our members in the above mentioned areas during this critical time.
For impacted members, Anthem is:
- Relaxing time limits for prior authorization, pre-certification and referral requirements – there will be no late penalties.
- Suspending early refill limits for prescriptions.
- Allowing replacement of medical equipment or supplies.
- Extending filing deadlines for claims.
These medical and pharmacy guidelines are effective from July 26, 2018 until August 25, 2018, unless further extended.
For additional questions, members should call the phone number on the back of their membership card as associates are standing by to help.
The eMagazine dedicated to improving members’ well-being
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- Vaccines for preteens and teens
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In each issue you will find information and inspiration to help you with your health and wellness goals.
It’s hard to make healthy choices when you’re stressed. If you never seem to have time to take care of yourself, you might need to look at your priorities.
Where does your time go? Are you enjoying life and staying active? Or do you find yourself mostly staring at a screen or running errands? An activity log is a good way to track what you do throughout your day. Try it for a week to see what happens to all those precious hours. Then, work on scheduling the important stuff, like family meals, exercise and relaxation. It’s okay to pencil in a “break” for 10 minutes here and there. After a while, life should feel less stressful and more balanced.
When you want to get creative in the kitchen, marinating is a great way to bring lots of flavor to your meals. You just soak raw food in a liquid mixture – often vinegar, wine or oil (though you can substitute fat-free salad dressing) and various herbs and spices.
Because raw food carries a lot of bacteria, it’s important to take special care when you marinate. Meat or poultry should be kept in the refrigerator at 40°F or below. And if you want to use marinade as a sauce on cooked food, set some aside before putting any raw meat in it. Also, never reuse marinade unless you boil it first.
You hear a lot about aerobic activity for your heart, but what about your muscles? You use them for everything you do – from getting out of bed to brushing your teeth and driving. Keeping your muscles strong not only helps you stay active, but also protects you from injury, disability and the effects of aging. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says only about 30% of adults in the U.S. do enough muscle training.
One way to change that is calisthenics, a form of exercise that focuses on your major muscle groups. It includes activities like push-ups, sit-ups, squats and lunges. You can start slowly as a beginner and build up your workout as you build your muscles. For best results, do these activities at least two days a week.
The eMagazine dedicated to improving members’ well-being
- Safe summer cooking
- Staying active in the heat
- You, allergies and outdoor exercise
- Lose weight, lower cancer risk
- Signs you need more sleep
In each issue you will find information and inspiration to help you with your health and wellness goals.
Your yearly health exam is your doctor’s way of tracking your health. It’s also how your doctor can rule out or take care of serious health problems. If an issue is caught early, it’s easier to treat and your chances for a full recovery are better. If you already have a medical condition or are in a high-risk group for getting one, make a checkup schedule with your doctor that makes sense for your health and lifestyle.
Take charge! Use the preventive care benefits, like your yearly exam, screenings and vaccines, covered by your health plan. Your checkup is an hour of your day that can add years to your life. Just remember to bring in any questions or concerns you have and be open about your health and family history.
What you do affects those around you. Like when you snack on carrots instead of cookies or order a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a burger … Making great choices for your health may also encourage your family, friends and even your coworkers to make better choices for their health.
So take pride in your positive influence – and take responsibility for the little things you do. You may end up making a big difference.
Want to shed some pounds? Set yourself up for success with the right goals. You may have a long-term goal for your scale. But, in the short term, start with two or three simple goals. These could be adding fruit to your breakfast, not eating after 8 p.m. or walking for a half hour during lunch. Make sure your goals are realistic and healthy.
If you have a bad day, take a deep breath and start fresh the next day. Need help with your goals? Go to choosemyplate.gov and check out SuperTracker. This tool from the United States Department of Agriculture can help you figure out how much and what to eat, how to track what you eat and lots more!
Are you pumped and ready for action? Not so fast! You should always warm up before you exercise. Warming up loosens your muscles and increases your heart rate, breathing, blood flow and temperature. All of these changes help prepare your body for activity, so you can enjoy the full benefits of your workout and help protect yourself against injury. Don’t take shortcuts to getting in shape. For the best outcome, ease your body into a healthy routine.