one TO one

-Colds and Flu: Survive the Sniffles

-Slash Your Drug Costs

-We’re Growing To Serve You

Back to Good Healthsmart strategies to banish back pain4

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Signature to Come

blue cross of idaho bcidaho.com

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we’re growingBlue Cross of Idaho Medicare Advantage is expanding our plans, service areas, benefits and prescription drug coverage.

- We have added a new, Private Fee for Service (PFFS) plan called Flexi Blue. It is available statewide.

- We have expanded our service areas for True Blue, our Health Management (HMO) plan. It is now available in 24 counties: Ada, Bannock, Benewah, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Boundary, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Gem, Jefferson, Kootenai, Latah, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Shoshone, Twin Falls and Washington.

- Our Expanded Formulary now includes more than 3,600 prescription drugs.

- We have added new benefits including dental and coverage for generic drugs in the gap or “donut hole.”

- Our customer service department is available to answer your questions and help you understand your coverage from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day—even holidays. Call us at (888) 494-2583 or TTY/TDD (800) 377-1363.

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peak coverage

Few things in life are as precious as your health. And one of the most critical decisions you will make is which health care coverage to choose.

Since 1997, Blue Cross of Idaho has offered Medicare Advantage health care plans for Idaho seniors. True Blue, our most comprehensive health care insurance plan, has more than 15,000 members.

Today we offer plans designed to fit your lifestyle and health care needs—affordable options whether you are healthy or sick.

- Our premier plan, True Blue, provides extraordinary benefits and services, and has consistently received high satisfaction ratings from our members.

- Our newest plan, Flexi Blue, provides extensive benefits with low copayments, without a monthly premium.

- Our Secure Blue plan gives you the option of choosing your health care services from in- and out-of-network providers.

We also have a large network of providers you know and trust. And our Care Teams and Customer Service representatives strive to give personalized service that helps you keep a healthy and active lifestyle.

Thank you for your trust in our Medicare Advantage team. Sincerely,

Jeanie PhillipsExecutive Director Medicare Advantage

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The cosT of healTh care always seems To be going up. But a recent survey proves this is not the case with generic drugs. An AARP study found that, for a 12-month period ending in March 2005, list prices for brand-name drugs went up an average of 6.2 percent. Generic drug prices, on the other hand, actually dropped a bit, by an average of less than 1 percent.

In our drug formulary, you usually have the option to use brand-name, preferred or generic versions of various

medicines. Each works equally well, but each is priced differently. For example, about 15 million Americans are on cholesterol-lowering medicine

called statins. Two of the most widely prescribed statins are now available in generic form: pravastatin and simvastatin. Depending on your plan, you could save more than $30 by switching to these generics.

Ask your doctor about generic drugs—and hold on to more of your money.

= Whathealthcarecosts

brand-name or generic: what’s the difference?

= hospItalcare

Quality Matters

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peak coverage Blue Cross of Idaho is working with its parent organization, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, to support The Institute for Healthcare Improvement 5 Million Lives Campaign to improve the quality of Idaho’s hospitals.

The first of these improvement initiatives was launched this year in Idaho. The new Quality Incentive Program is designed to reward hospitals for their efforts in improving patient care quality, safety and affordability.

Blue Cross of Idaho works directly with the state’s hospitals and the Idaho Hospital Association to measure patient safety and clinical outcomes in areas like pneumonia care, heart attack treatment and diabetes care. Participating facilities are required to collect data and report findings to BCI on an annual basis.

The results of the findings are compared to a national database. Each hospital received a detailed Quality Incentive Report and financial reimbursement based on their performance.

The top performers were honored recently at a health care conference in Boise. Mercy Medical Center in Nampa and St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise took home top honors among the largest hospitals. Boundary Community Hospital and Nursing Home in Bonners Ferry and Steele Memorial Hospital in Salmon were the winners among Idaho’s rural hospitals.

According to Dr. Doug Dammrose, medical director for Blue Cross of Idaho, “When you improve the quality of health care, you also reduce overall health care costs by making patients better quicker. I congratulate the 29 hospitals that participated and who share our commitment to improving health care in Idaho.”

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Standing upright may be what separates us from other ani-mals, but it’s also what makes

humans susceptible to back problems. Indeed, nearly 80 percent of Ameri-cans will suffer through a backache at least once in their lives.

The good news is that for most of these people, the cause is simple muscle spasms or strains, and back pain is temporary, treatable and often preventable.

4 Smart StrategiesMuch back pain can be avoided by following a few simple rules.

1. Lift properly. It’s easy to throw out your back lifting a heavy box

or a fast-growing grandchild. So get in the habit of lifting properly, using your legs rather than your back:

- Bend at the knees and keep your back upright.

- Tighten your stomach muscles.- Use both hands to grasp the ob-

ject and hold it close to your body.- Lift steadily with your legs. Don’t

jerk or twist.

DIseaseManageMent:

Chronic back pain is one of the most common health problems in America. It’s also one of the most preventable.

blue cross of idaho bcidaho.com 4

Oh, my aching back!

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2. Exercise. Lower-back and abdominal muscles work

together to maintain the position of the back. Regular aerobic activ-ity like walking or swimming is important. Stretching strengthens the muscles that support the spine, including those in the abdomen. Try this move:

- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor close to your rear end.

- Bring one knee to your chest. Keep the other foot flat on the floor or straighten it, whichever feels best. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Return to the original position.

- Repeat with the other leg.

3. Practice good posture. Slouch-ing takes the back out of its

natural arch, which puts more stress on the vertebrae. Try using a lum-bar support.

4. Watch how you sit. Many people are spending more time

than ever sitting. Whether you’re reading, watching television, work-ing at a computer or doing nothing at all, if you aren’t careful, your back and neck can start bothering you. Follow these guidelines:

- Avoid sitting in front of the television for prolonged periods of time. Even a two-minute stretch-ing and exercise break will improve flexibility and relieve pressure on your back.

- If you work on a computer, make sure the top of the screen is level with your eyes. Sit back and support your upper body against the backrest of your chair. Keep your upper arms relaxed and by your side as you type.

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doctor’s orders: Mostbackachesgoawayinafewdays.ButmanypatientshurrytothedoctoratthefirsttwingeandaskforanX-ray,MrIorctscan.evidencesuggeststheycouldsavethemselvesalotoftimeandmoneybywaitingabitlonger.

Ifyourbackbothersyouforaweekormore,orifyourmobilityisseverelyimpaired,thenadoctorvisitisinorder.thedoctormaythenorderanimagetolookforstructuraldamagetoyourback.

Oh, my aching back!

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about80 percentofalladultsgothroughatleastoneboutofbackpainintheirlifetime.It’sthefifth leading causeofdoctorvisitsinthenation.

Now that we’re in the depths of cold and flu season, here are some important things to

know about treating those symptoms.

Antibiotics? No.Colds fall into the general category

of upper respiratory infections (URIs). If you have a URI, the doctor may try to determine if it’s caused by a bacteria or a virus. Chances are it’s a virus. Most URIs are. If that’s the case, antibiotics will not help. In fact, they may cause more harm than good.

Why? Antibiotics can’t kill viruses. (See “Q&A,” below.) But too often, we insist on using antibiotics anyway. This misuse has led to drug-resistant bacterial infections. So, if you have a viral URI, don’t ask for antibiotics.

Other Ideas? Yes.The single best way to prevent the

flu is to get a flu vaccine each year.

Other good health habits that can help you prevent colds and flu are:

- Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too. If possible, stay home when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Try not to share.

- Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue if possible. When one is not handy, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not your hands, to avoid pass-ing germs.

- Wash your hands often. Clean hands will help protect you and others from germs.

- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.

Q&Aare antibiotics

the answer?

Q: Do antibiotics cure all infections?A: No. They work against infections caused by bacteria. They don’t cure infections caused by viruses, such as colds, the flu and most coughs and sore throats.

‘tistheseasontobe

Sneezin’Dos and don’ts for surviving the sniffles.

colDanDflu:

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colDanDflu:

Q: Are there really antibiotic- resistant “superbugs” out there?A: Yes. Antibiotics are overpre-scribed in the U.S. Some bacteria have adapted and become resistant to antibiotics.

Q: If antibiotics aren’t the answer, is there any way to treat the flu?A: Yes. There are antiviral medica-tions that work if you take them within 24 to 48 hours of your first symptoms. They require a prescription, so call your doctor as soon as you feel flu-ish.

IS It A COLD Or thE FLu? sometimesitcanbehardtotellthedifferencebetweenasimplecoldandthemoreseriousconditionoftheflu.theyaresimilarinmanyways,buttheflucanleadtomoreseriousillnesses.thischartcanhelpyoulearnthesignsandsymptomsofeach.

COLD FLu

SYMPtOMS-fever rare characteristic;high(102–

104f);lasts3–4days

-headache rare prominent

-generalachesandpains

slight usual;oftensevere

-fatigue,weakness Quitemild canlastupto2–3weeks

-extremeexhaustion never earlyandprominent

-stuffynose common sometimes

-sneezing usual sometimes

-chestdiscomfort,cough

Mildtomoderate,hackingcough

common;canbecomesevere

COMPLICAtIONS sinuscongestionorearache

Bronchitis;pneumonia;canbelife-threatening

PrEVENtION none annualvaccination;antiviralmedicines—seeyourdoctor

trEAtMENt onlytemporaryreliefofsymptoms

antiviralmedicines—seeyourdoctor

blue cross of idaho bcidaho.com 7

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rx:chIckensoupA bowl of broth is a cold’s worst enemy.

When a cold knocks you flat, traditional wisdom tells you

to soak your symptoms in a bowl of chicken soup. This home remedy does seem to open your airways and dry up your runny nose. Is chicken soup really medicine in disguise?

Actually, yes. When cold-causing viruses invade your body, white blood cells called neutrophils rush to do battle. Their fight against the infec-tion inflames your lungs and airways, leading to the respiratory symptoms common with colds.

It’s here that chicken soup works its magic. Scientists have found that the properties in chicken soup slow down the activity of neutrophils. With fewer neutrophils, there’s less inflam-mation, relieving the rattle in your chest. The soup’s steamy warmth is also a natural decongestant that clears up your runny nose.

So next time the sniffles strike, write yourself a prescription for a hearty bowl of low fat, low-sodium chicken soup.

Learn more at bcidaho.comBe sure to check our Web site for plan and benefit information as well as other information to help you stay fit and healthy.

Visit us at bcidaho.com. Or call us toll-free between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week, at (888) 494-2583 (TTY/TDD 1-800-633-4227).

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