Medicare Advantage preventive care planner mailed to patients

We’ve developed a preventive care planner for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Medicare Advantage patients to help them plan their preventive care and make time for wellness. We ask that you encourage your patients to bring the planners to their visits and use them throughout the year for support in managing and tracking health care needs.

The BCBSM 2013 preventive care planner was recently mailed, and will help Medicare Advantage patients track medical services, tests, screenings, medications and appointments.

The planner includes a checklist that reminds patients to schedule preventive tests focused on such areas as:

• Blood pressure
• Bone mass measurement
• Cholesterol
• Glaucoma
• Glucose
• Pelvic or prostate health

The planner reminds patients that only their doctors can help them determine the appropriate test options and frequency. The planner also includes vaccine reminders for flu, hepatitis B, pneumonia and shingles, and encourages patients to talk with their physicians about:

• Exercise and physical activity
• Body mass index
• Memory and mental health
• Bladder control
• Risks of slipping and falling
• Age-related medication risks
• Diabetes
• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blocker drugs for controlling blood pressure

BCBSM values the quality patient care that Blues’ participating physicians consistently demonstrate. We hope this new tool will support physicians’ efforts to improve the health of their patients and enhance the patient-doctor dialogue.

To view the preventive planner and learn more, log in to web-DENIS:

• Click on BCBSM Provider Publications and Resources.
• Click on Newsletters & Resources.
• Click on Medicare Advantage Resources.

If you have questions, please contact your provider relations manager:

Upper Peninsula Region
Michael Fedrizzi
Phone: 906-228-5457
Email: mfedrizzi@bcbsm.com