You have your new Community Health Options ID cards, so now what? Your health insurance does more than cover emergencies. Learn how to use your benefits to build your health and wellbeing below.
You received your welcome letter and have your ID cards and put them in your wallet. That’s a great start—it’s important to take that card with you wherever you go, whether you have an upcoming doctor’s appointment or need them for an emergency on the road. Your Health Options card is also your key to getting the care you need to take of yourself even when you’re healthy.
So, what’s next?
First, make sure you’ve set up your Member Portal, which gives you 24/7 access to your account. You can check your claim status, download documents you need and learn about your plan’s benefits. (If you’re in an Individual or Family Plan, please note your first invoice will come by mail, and we’ll send you invoices electronically after that. You can pay your premium through your portal.)
Perhaps most important, your Member Portal dashboard is your gateway to Health Options’ broad network of providers and where you can choose your primary care provider. We have a network of about 48,000 providers, including clinicians, hospitals and pharmacies, so you can manage your care no matter where you live. Our network includes all Maine hospitals*, most in New Hampshire and Centers of Excellence in Massachusetts.
If you are 18 or older you can also opt for a virtual-first primary care team through Firefly Health. Firefly provides 24/7 access to a primary care team, anytime, anywhere, making it easier to access care right from your cell phone, whether you need preventive and routine care, or help managing more complex issues. Learn more about Firefly Health and download the app here.
Also in your portal, you’ll find a Health & Wellness tab that gives you access to Amwell® telehealth services, where you can receive urgent care services or behavioral health care from the comfort of your home. Urgent care access via Amwell is provided at $0 cost-share on all non-HSA plans, and $0 after a deductible for HSA plans. So, whatever your circumstances, you can speak to a provider right away to explore recommended treatments.
Additionally, the wellness tab has a link to Healthwise®, which includes a symptom checker and access to information on more than 6,000 health and wellness topics.
And if you get sick and have to manage a serious illness, we’re here to help you get through it. Our Care Management team can help to coordinate your care so that you can focus on your needs.
Importantly, if you need help choosing a primary care provider, accessing any of your benefits, or wish to speak to someone on our Care Management Team, please contact our Maine-based Member Services team at (855) 624-6463, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
*Except for Togus VA
If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you likely already know the risks that come with high blood sugar levels—heart or kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage or stroke. Low levels can pose problems, too, like blurred vision, nightmares, headaches, confusion or lightheadedness.
Diabetes has become a national epidemic—there are at least 37 million people diagnosed with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Maine, more than 113,000 people—or about 10% of the state’s adults—have been diagnosed with diabetes, with an estimated 32,000 who likely have diabetes, but don’t know it.
It takes more than an occasional A1c blood test, a measure of average blood sugar over three months, to effectively manage Type 2 diabetes and prevent the serious complications that can go with it. Even so, there’s a good chance that for many with diabetes, daily glucose monitoring can be hit or miss. Let’s face it: It can be a hassle to keep track with frequent finger sticks.
Daily monitoring empowers you to take control of your diabetes, whether measuring a few times a day with a glucose meter or using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM) that tracks patterns 24/7. Daily monitoring can also provide real-time information and reveal patterns, like whether sugar spikes after a meal or drops to dangerous levels overnight. It can also show you how your body responds in real time to specific food, exercise or the medications you take.
