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Managing chronic conditions

If you’re managing a chronic condition, we can help you get the treatment you need to feel better. You’ll learn more about your condition, including ways to manage your symptoms, so you can be your healthiest.

Questions?

Just call 1-866-316-3784 (TTY: 711). We’re here for you Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. 

Our care management team

Our care management team

Our team will come up with a care plan that’s right for you. They’ll ensure you get the care and services you need.

 

You’ll have nurses and social workers to help you:

 

  • Connect to other resources and get referrals for specialized care

  • Work with your health care providers  

  • Understand your symptoms

  • Get services after normal business hours when you really need them 

  • Arrange services for children with special health care needs, such as well-child care, health promotion, disease prevention and specialty care 

Asthma is common and affects people in different ways. Talk with your provider about your symptoms. Here’s how we can help:

 

First, we’ll see if your asthma is low risk or high risk. If it’s low risk, we’ll give you tips on caring for yourself year-round. That way, you can better manage your symptoms when they appear.

 

If it’s high risk, a care manager will call you to talk about your asthma care. You’ll talk about things like:

 

  • How to take care of your asthma at home

  • Why you should take your medicine as prescribed

  • What might cause an asthma attack

  • How to change your habits so you can feel better

 

Learn more about asthma

Chronic kidney disease is also known as chronic kidney failure. It’s what happens when your kidneys slowly stop working over time. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then removed in your urine. Advanced chronic kidney disease can cause dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes to build up in your body.
 

In the early stages of the disease, you might have few signs or symptoms. You might not realize that you have the disease until the condition becomes more serious.
 

If you have kidney disease or have a medical condition that increases your risk of it, we’ll:
 

  • Work with your doctor to find treatments that can help prevent kidney damage

  • Help you learn how to manage your blood pressure

  • Help you learn how to practice healthy habits

 

Learn more about chronic kidney disease

COPD is a lung disease. If you have COPD, we’ll help you get the support you need to feel better.

 

First, we’ll see if your COPD is low risk or high risk. If it’s high risk, a care manager will check in on you to make sure you’re getting the help you need. They’ll talk to you about your treatment. In some cases, you might get a prescription for oxygen therapy or more medicine. If you smoke, your care manager can help you plan to quit.

 

Learn more about COPD

CAD is the most common form of heart disease. Cholesterol can start to collect in your arteries. This makes the heart work harder to do its job. 

 

Tell your provider if your family has any history of CAD. We’ll create a care plan to help prevent and treat your symptoms.

 

Learn more about CAD

Diabetes can be a lot to handle alone. We’re here to help you manage and treat your diabetes. First, we’ll work with you and your provider to see if your diabetes is low risk or high risk.

 

If it’s low risk, we’ll get you the info and help you need to take care of yourself.

 

If your diabetes is high risk, we’ll help you learn how to:

 

  • Manage your diabetes

  • Watch your blood sugar

  • Take your medicine

  • Care for your feet

  • Practice healthy habits 

 

Learn more about diabetes

Do you have shortness of breath doing everyday activities? If so, this may be a sign of heart failure.

We’ll work with your provider to help you prevent and manage any symptoms. Through different treatment options, you can get the care you need. Many of our members with heart failure live healthy, active lives.

 

Learn more about heart failure

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It can make fighting infections harder for you. With help from our team, you can get the support you need. They’ll arrange care with your providers and help you manage symptoms, like:

 

  • Swollen lymph glands

  • Fever 

  • Night sweats

  • Diarrhea

  • Skin rashes

  • Sores

 

Learn more about HIV

The hepatitis C virus affects your liver. If you have the virus, we can help you manage symptoms, like:

 

  • Bleeding easily

  • Bruising easily

  • Losing appetite

  • Itching skin

  • Yellowing of skin

 

Learn more about hepatitis C

When you have high blood pressure, your blood puts a lot of pressure on your artery walls. Over time, this can damage your arteries, heart and kidneys. You may not know these problems are happening. And if not treated, high blood pressure can lead to other severe issues, like heart attack and stroke.

 

Normal blood pressure should be below or around 120/80. Your provider can tell you what blood pressure is best for you. We can work with them to help you find ways to lower it or manage it.

 

Learn more about high blood pressure

Are you or someone you know feeling sad? Feeling sad sometimes is normal. But if that sadness continues or begins to create other symptoms, it becomes depression. Call your provider right away if you’re feeling depressed.

 

Some common signs and symptoms of depression include:

 

  • Feeling like nothing will ever get better
  • Losing interest in things that used to be enjoyable
  • Gaining or losing lots of weight in a short amount of time
  • Sleeping more or less than usual
  • Increased anger or grumpiness
  • Increased feeling of tiredness
  • Feeling low self-worth
  • Behaving recklessly
  • Having trouble making decisions or remembering things

Learn more about depression

Sick cell disease is a lifelong disease caused by abnormal red blood cells. The disease is passed down to children through their parents’ genes.

 

Red blood cells carry oxygen through our bodies. Oxygen helps our bodies work properly. Normal red blood cells are round and can move easily around the body. Someone with sickle cell disease has red blood cells that are C-shaped and stick together. This makes it harder for oxygen to get to different parts of the body. 

 

Overall, the disease can cause severe health problems, like:
 

  • Episodes of pain

  • Eye problems

  • Infections

  • Stroke

Learn more about sickle cell disease

More info on chronic conditions

Krames Online offers more than 4,000 topics relating to chronic conditions and other health info. Using this resource, you and your family can find answers to most health-related questions.
 

Krames Online

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