What's New

Welcome to Complete Community

Welcome to the first edition of our member newsletter, Complete Community! We hope that you’ll use this quarterly electronic newsletter as a way to stay connected to your Ascension Complete Medicare Advantage plan. In it, you’ll find information like announcements, new tools and resources to explore, videos to watch, and tips to ensure you’re getting the most out of your benefits.

Your health is our priority. Ascension Complete was designed to simplify your experience and enable you to get more personalized care. We hope you’ll see that approach with Complete Community, too. If there’s content you would like to see in future newsletters, let us know at
CompleteCommunity@AscensionComplete.com.

Now more than ever, it’s important we stay connected with each other. Stay well and healthy!

Sincerely,

Ken Petronis

Chief Operating Officer, Ascension Complete

Getting the care you need

We want you to feel safe when you access your benefits. And we understand that you might still have concerns about visiting a doctor’s office or hospital. But you can rest assured that Ascension facilities – hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and offices – have implemented safeguards to minimize the exposure risks related to coronavirus (COVID-19) for our patients and our caregivers.

What’s important is that you don’t delay getting care right now, especially for emergency and essential healthcare needs. Connect with your doctor to discuss the right option for your care and ask if virtual visits are available for some of your needs.

For information on symptoms to be aware of and plan coverage related to testing, screenings and treatment, visit the Ascension Complete website. For real time information on COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control’s website.

We’ve also compiled some helpful resources for your overall well-being, including information about unemployment and financial assistance, housing relief, food assistance, as well as healthcare. You can find it all here.

We’re increasing your access to care

You shouldn’t have to worry about having enough benefits and access to care to cover your needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure you’re supported, we’re expanding some of our benefit offerings to you.

Starting now through the end of the calendar year, you’ll see the following changes:

• See any in-network provider for general medical or behavioral health needs using Teladoc and you’ll pay $0
• For members who have had a recent hospital or nursing facility stay, you’ll get an additional 14 meals delivered to your home after you have been discharged, at no cost*
• You’ll also see an increase to your quarterly over-the-counter (OTC) allowance—call 1-833-603-2971 (TTY: 711) to see what you’re eligible for based on your location and specific plan

And as always, you’ll continue to get:

• $0 copay for primary care physician (PCP) visits
• $100 reward for getting your annual wellness visit through the My Health Pays^® Rewards Program

*Additional meals will only occur once per member in 2020

Explore the new Find-a-Provider Tool

As an Ascension Complete member, you have access to our extensive network of providers and pharmacies — and finding one near you is easy through our all new Find-a-Provider Tool!

We redesigned the tool so it’s easier for you to locate an in-network provider that’s right for you, whether you’re looking for a primary care physician (PCP), specialist, dentist or more.

1. To start, visit providersearch.ascensioncomplete.com on your mobile phone, computer or tablet. You can also access the tool through the Ascension Complete Member Portal by clicking “Find-a-Provider” in the navigation panel on the home page.
2. Before you begin your search, you’ll be prompted to set your location. This will help narrow your search results to a specific area. Click “Use My Location” to search for providers near your current location, or type in a specific address, ZIP code or county to find providers in that area.
3. You can then search for a specific provider by name to see if they are in network, or start a new search depending on the type of provider you’re looking for. Start a new search by clicking on one of the six categories listed. Options include searching for Medical Professionals, Medical Facilities, Behavioral Health, Vision, Dental and Pharmacy. From there, follow the prompts that pop up on screen.
   1. A list of results will populate with a quick overview of details, like how far the provider is from your selected location, their address and their phone number.
4. To find more detailed information about the provider, click their name to view their full profile. Here you’ll find their location and hours, whether or not they’re accepting new patients and other details.
   1. Along the top, you can print the page for your records or find public transportation or driving directions.
5. If you’ve found your preferred provider or practitioner, make note of their hours of operation and contact information so you can call them to schedule an appointment, if needed.

Reminders

Don’t forget to take advantage of meal benefits!

If you’ve had a recent hospital or nursing facility stay, you may be able to get home-delivered meals at no extra cost to you.

These chef-designed meals are packaged for convenience, safe for preparation in conventional ovens and microwaves, and can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator or frozen for up to three months.

Call 1-833-603-2971 (TTY: 711) for more information and to determine if you qualify.

Schedule your annual wellness visit — you may be able to do it virtually!

Your annual wellness visit is one of the best ways to ensure you are screened for disease and illness. Be sure to take advantage of this important benefit so your provider can develop or update a personalized plan, based on your unique health factors, to help keep you healthy. And you’re able to earn $100 through the My Health Pays^® Rewards Program just by getting yours!

Given the current landscape, your provider may be offering virtual annual wellness visits so you can take this important preventive step to lower your risk of disease and manage your health without leaving your home. Call your provider to see if your doctor offers this service and what equipment you would need in your home in order to complete the visit, like a scale or blood pressure cuff.

Getting your annual wellness visit virtually could be a streamlined and convenient option for you. You’ll still get the high-quality care you’re used to with your provider, just in an online setting.

Plus, did you know that by completing your annual wellness visit, virtually or in person, you can earn $100 through the My Health Pays^® Rewards Program? Note that if it’s your first time completing an eligible activity, you’ll receive a My Health Pays Visa^® Prepaid Card in the mail with your $100 reward. And if you’ve already received a card, your reward will automatically be loaded on it—so make sure you do not throw it away!

If you haven’t already had your annual visit, call your provider today, and don’t forget to see if they offer virtual visits. You can also visit our provider search tool to find a provider if you don’t already have one or are looking to switch.

Get prescriptions delivered straight to your door

Through our mail order pharmacy service, we can deliver 90-day supplies of some prescription medications right to your doorstep, helping you save time and money, and limit trips to the pharmacy.

With mail order, you can get 90-day supplies of prescription medications you take on a regular or long-term basis for conditions such as arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure. Once you’re enrolled, you can quickly order refills online, over the phone, by mail or your doctor can send prescriptions directly to our mail order pharmacies.

Choose from either CVS Caremark Mail Service Pharmacy or Homescripts Mail Order Pharmacy Service. Both have licensed pharmacists who fill the orders and check for quality. Both cover shipping costs and use discreet, secure packaging. And both have customer support staff available to answer your questions. After an order is confirmed, you can expect to receive it within 10 days.

How do you know which drugs are available with mail order? We mark mail order drugs as “MO” in our list of drugs. You can also contact Member Services for help.

Ready for a refill? You also can sign up for automatic refills. When our records show you are close to running out of your prescription, the pharmacy will contact you to confirm you need more. Or you can cancel the refill if your medication has changed.

To get started, open either the mail order pharmacy’s order form or call Member Services for assistance.

Managing Your Care

Important diabetes health screenings and tests

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to learn about the tests listed below. These are recommended at least once a year, but some may need to be done more often. Always check with your primary care physician (PCP) before moving forward with any type of screening/testing.

• HbA1c Test: This blood sugar test measures your body’s average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months. It is different from your glucose test and may need to be done more than once a year to ensure your glycemic goals are met and/or maintained. For many people, the target is under age 7.
• Kidney Screening: Detect kidney disease or damage early with this urine protein test. Kidney damage may occur years before you notice signs.
• Retinal Screening (No-Cost Eye Exam): People with diabetes have a higher risk for vision problems. This exam is different from an exam for eyeglasses. Call your eye doctor to schedule an appointment at no cost to you.
• Blood Pressure Test: High blood pressure makes your heart work harder, raising the risk for heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. Ask about having your blood pressure checked at every healthcare visit. A healthy blood pressure is 120/80 or lower.
• Blood Glucose Test: This test, which is performed with a simple blood draw, measures the amount of glucose or sugar in your bloodstream. If your blood sugar is too high or too low, you might need to change your diet or activity level to help control it.
• Cholesterol and Triglycerides: Abnormal levels of these blood fats lead to clogging of the arteries and increase the risk for heart attack and stroke. Ask if you should have this tested every year. The American Diabetes Association suggests these numbers for most people managing diabetes:
  • LDL (“bad”) cholesterol: lower than 100 mg/dl
  • HDL (“good”) cholesterol: higher than 40 mg/dl for men and higher than 50 mg/dl for women
  • Triglycerides: lower than 150 mg/dl

Helping to keep diabetes under control

By controlling blood sugar levels, you can help lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. There are many factors in controlling blood sugar levels. These include taking medicines as directed, exercising regularly, eating healthy and limiting alcohol intake.

Work with your doctor and healthcare team to better understand and control diabetes. If your primary care physician (PCP) recommends medication, you may consider these tips:

• Find the right mix of diet, exercise and medication.
• Take medications as directed to help keep your blood sugar at a healthy level. Share your blood sugar log so that your PCP can decide how well your diabetes medications are working.
• Let your PCP know if you become ill, because some medications that can be purchased without a prescription, like cold remedies, might contain too much sugar or could react with current medications. Ask what the recommended choices are to help prevent serious drug reactions.
• Check your feet daily for any sores or injuries and ask your PCP about ways to increase circulation in your feet and legs.
• Learn how to prevent and manage other health complications, like high blood pressure or vision problems.
• Ask if it is safe to drink alcohol while on medications. Alcohol has calories and can interact with medications.
• Know your medications by brand and generic names. Check with your PCP to see if your medication has generic options to help you save money. Generic options can be less expensive than brand names.

With Ascension Complete, your health is our priority. If you are living with diabetes and would like to join our Enhanced Disease Management program, call 1-844-699-3128 (TTY: 711).

Take care and earn money with My Health Pays^® Rewards

Just by taking care of yourself, you can earn a little extra money. As an Ascension Complete member, you are automatically enrolled in the My Health Pays^® Rewards Program. You’ll earn money when you complete certain activities like screenings or care visits. Not only does it work to help keep you healthy by establishing health baselines, it may provide financial benefits to you.

Getting started is easy!

1. You’re already enrolled
   • As an Ascension Complete member, you are automatically enrolled in the My Health Pays^® Rewards Program.
2. Earn money
   • Complete each preventative screening or healthy task shown below.
3. Get paid
   • You’ll receive a My Health Pays Visa^® Prepaid Card with the money you’ve earned after completing your first eligible activity.

Get started earning money today by completing healthy activities. The more healthy activities you complete, the more money you’ll earn:

• Earn $15 Breast Cancer Screening
• Earn $15 Ongoing Diabetes Care
• Earn $10 Annual Wellness Visit
• Earn $25 Statin Therapy Medication*
• Earn $15 Colon Cancer Screening

You can spend the money you’ve earned on a variety of products and services** like:

• Purchases at Walmart/Sam’s Club
• Transportation: Bus, train, taxi or ride-share
• Utilities: Gas, electric and water bills
• Telecommunications: Internet, cell and home phone bills

Interested in learning more? Click here.

*Statin therapy medications: Reward can be earned on a medication refill if the member has a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.

** This card is limited to qualifying products and services as listed above. Eligible items up to the amount of your balance will be covered. Any remaining balance will remain on your card. You can use it for future purchases. The card may not be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. See Cardholder Agreement for complete usage restrictions.