El Paso Health | About Your Health | Spring 2024

Spring • 2024 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Yakima, WA Permit No. 157 El Paso Health PO Box 971100 El Paso, TX 79997-1100 Your doctors set aside time for you when you make an appointment. Whether you are sick or need a checkup, surgery, or vaccines, the time set aside for you is valuable. When patients do not show up for their appointment or cancel 24 hours before, it affects not only the doctor but the staff and facility. It could also affect other patients that could have been seen in your place. Under Member Rights and Responsibilities in your Member Handbook, it states that the member has the responsibility to: ■Keep your scheduled appointments. ■Cancel appointments in advance when you cannot keep them. To see all of your rights and responsibilities as a member of Medicaid / CHIP, please refer to the Member Handbooks on our website: www.elpasohealth.com. It is important to keep your appointments IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, please call our Member Services team at 915-532-3778 or 1-877- 532-3778. Thank you for choosing El Paso Health.

2 How to manage conditions and stay out of the ER A chronic disease is any condition that usually can be controlled but not cured, like asthma, cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. If you have a chronic disease, you might want to stay away from the emergency room (ER). By avoiding the ER, you reduce the risk of exposing yourself and your family to patients with contagious illnesses. Here are 8 tips to help you control your illness and help you stay away from the ER: 1. Learn as much as you can about your illness. 2. Have a good relationship with your doctor. 3. Do not skip health screenings. 4. Get annual checkups. 5. Stay up to date on vaccines. 6. Ask about lifestyle changes. 7. Be active. 8. Keep your doctor informed about changes in your health. What is El Paso Health doing to keep our members healthy? We offer: ■Case Management. ■Transportation services. ■Behavioral Health Crisis line, 24 hours, 7 days a week. ■FIRSTCALL line, 24 hours, 7 days a week, answered by nurses, pharmacists, and a Medical Director on call. ■EPH Stay Safe kit: includes 2 cloth masks, 2 mask covers, 4 disposable masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, thermometer, healthy tips on handwashing, and sanitizing wipes. Take advantage of the resources El Paso Health has for you! Texas Health Steps and Well-Child visits Yearly checkups are important for keeping our youth healthy and safe year after year. Regular physical exams allow healthcare providers to establish relationships with both the child and their family, which will in turn help to improve communication and trust. Texas Health Steps checkups are ageappropriate preventive medical and dental checkups. These yearly exams are important to maintain your children’s health and identify any health issues before they get worse by providing preventive care. They help to keep children on track with their vaccinations and help assess their physical development. Regular checkups provide complete health care for children, including diagnosing and treating common childhood illnesses; providing preventive care; and identifying / monitoring physical, behavioral, and emotional health and development. Health-care providers will discuss the child’s health, growth, and development; update family medical history; and review the child’s medical history and immunization status. For help scheduling a visit, please call our Member Services team at 915-532-3778 or 1-877-532-3778. wellness

3 Let’s talk about autism Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with autism have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known. Scientists believe there are multiple causes of ASD that act together to change the most common ways people develop. We still have much to learn about these causes and how they impact individuals with ASD. People with ASD are just like everyone else. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other people. They feel the same emotions but show them differently. People with autism may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The abilities of people with autism can vary significantly. For example, some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills, whereas others may be nonverbal. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to no support. Diagnosing autism can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose ASD. Doctors look at the child’s developmental history and behavior for diagnosis. It can be detected at any age, even as infants, but some people are not diagnosed until they are adolescents or adults. It is important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible to ensure the individual receives the services and support needed. Please call your Primary Care Provider (PCP) to schedule an appointment if you would like to have your child evaluated. Scholarship opportunities for farmworker students For many years, the National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH) has invested in providing annual scholarships to farmworkers. This is made possible through the sale of commemorative artwork posters. The main goal is to assist farmworkers in pursuing their education goals, mainly in health care. If you are interested in NCFH scholarships, you can visit their website at ncfh.org/scholarships.html or you can call El Paso Health. El Paso Health has special Medicaid services for farmworker children. To help you receive these services, please call us at 1-877-532-3778, Ext. 1075. We will help you get the medical services your children need. wellness

ABOUT YOUR HEALTH is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of EL PASO HEALTH, 1145 Westmoreland Drive, El Paso, TX 79925, telephone 1-877-532-3778, website www.elpasohealth.com. Information in ABOUT YOUR HEALTH comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health-care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2024 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. EPHM8212401-EPH-MBR-Spring 2024 Member Newsletter Member Services Department 1-877-532-3778 Case Management at El Paso Health Do you need help with your health condition? Maybe you need help with transportation to get to your doctor’s appointment? Our Case Management team can help you with: ■Talking to you about your health condition. ■Developing a care plan with you and your doctor to assist you to be healthier. ■Providing education and community resources. ■Coordinating access to medical services. If you would like to learn more about Case Management, please call El Paso Health at 915-532-3778 or 1-877-532-3778. There are some deceitful people trying to take advantage of you with fake Medicaid renewal scams. El Paso Health wants to make sure you stay safe. HHSC (Texas Health and Human Services) is contacting members to see if you still qualify for Medicaid or CHIP. Scammers may claim to be a valid organization, but the truth is they are attempting to take your money or important information from you. Watch out for scammers pretending to be Medicaid representatives. They might say your coverage is canceled or you are no longer eligible. They may ask for personal information like your Social Security number, Medicaid ID number, and bank account number. Be careful: Providing this information might lead to identity theft. Scammers may even threaten you, saying you will face problems or have to pay to keep receiving benefits. Here is the truth: 1. Medicaid will not call or email you asking for personal info. They will send a renewal package through the mail. 2. You can renew your coverage online, by mail, or in person. It does not cost a thing. 3. If someone asks you for money, it is a scam! Please report it to El Paso Health’s FWA hotline: 1-866-356-8395. To get Medicaid renewal information, please visit YourTexasBenefits.com. member news Be careful! Watch out for fake Medicaid renewal scams

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