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WINTER/SPRING 2022NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR OURMEDEX ' PLAN MEMBERShealthy timesTake control of your health.Protect yourheart witha flu shotMind yourmouthMedicationsdelivered toyour doorYou’re in goodcompany!More people in Massachusetts chooseBlue Cross over any other health plan.*More than7.3 million Medicaremembers in the nationare enrolled ina Blue CrossBlue Shield plan.***Represents Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplemental Individual and Group plan membership based on datafrom CMS (www.cms.gov) and Massachusetts DOI (www.mass.gov).**Data attributed to all Blue Cross Blue Shield Association plans across the country, CMS, Barclays Research, 2021,Quarter 2, Brand Protection Financial Services Reporting.Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

Let your plan LEAD THE WAYW Access to a broad network of doctors, specialists,and hospitals to make it easier and moreconvenient for you to get careTake advantage of these benefits!Team Blue is here for you!As spring approaches, remember your plan includesvaluable benefits and resources you can takeadvantage of throughout the year: 0 copays on Annual Wellness Visits 0 copays or coinsurance on covered routinecancer screenings and other covered preventivescreenings, such as for depression and diabetes Reimbursements for qualified fitness and weightloss programs, including in-person and onlineclasses. Plus, new for 2022, home fitnessequipment like stationary bikes, weights, exercisebands, treadmills, and other fitness machinesalso qualify. (Don’t forget to submit thereimbursement form for your 2021 benefit! Justlog in to your MyBlue account and submit theonline reimbursement form by March 31.) Access to specialized Care Management programsand services at no additional cost to youTeam Blue is your dedicated support system ofMember Service representatives, registered nurses,specialized health coaches, chronic care professionals,pharmacy experts, nutritionists, and more.Our goal is to provide you with the unique handson assistance you won’t get with another health plan,including programs for members with chronicconditions, complicated medical issues, or behavioralhealth concerns. We provide the guidance andcollaboration needed to help you reach your healthgoals—along with the tools and resources that makegetting there easier.Let us show you how we can help! Visitbluecrossma.com/medicare to learn more about ourservices and programs offered at no additional cost.e appreciate your membership and arecommitted to providing you with our highestlevel of service and care.2 HEALTHY TIMES WINTER/SPRING 2022

Want to protect your ticker?GET A FLU SHOTGetting an annual flu shot is an important way to safeguard yourhealth and the health of those around you. And this year—as theCOVID-19 pandemic continues—it’s more important than ever. Byreceiving the vaccine, you can better avoid the flu and help conservemedical resources.There’s also an added benefit you may not know about: The flu shothelps keep your heart healthy.What the research saysAccording to the results of a national study published in the Annals ofInternal Medicine, 12% of those who had been hospitalized due to the fluhad a sudden, major heart issue. For example, some patients hadserious changes in blood pressure, infections, or acute heart failure.But this is not news to health experts, who have long known thatthose with preexisting cardiovascular problems seem to have moresevere cases of the flu. In fact, approximately half of the patients whoneeded to be hospitalized during a recent flu season also had heartdisease. This is likely because of the various ways the flu negativelyaffects the heart, including: Attacking the blood vessels and heart muscle Putting additional stress on the heart Making arteries and veins constrict Causing blood clotsMind your mouthOral hygiene doesn’t just make yourpearly whites shine. It’s important toyour overall health.Protection from infectionGood oral hygiene protects youfrom oral infections such as toothdecay and gum disease. Untreated,those infections can affect otherparts of your body.Gum disease in particular hasbeen linked to a number of diseasesand conditions, from diabetescomplications and heart disease topneumonia and rheumatoid arthritis.Oral care basicsFollow these steps for a healthymouth: Brush at least twice a day using asoft-bristled brush and fluoridetoothpaste recommended by theAmerican Dental Association. Floss at least once daily. Visit your dentist regularly.In addition, the flu has been linked to sudden health emergencies suchas strokes and heart attacks.Don’t have heart problems? You still need the vaccineThe flu shot is very important for those with heartconditions; however, you should still get a flushot even if you’re completely free of healthLearn more aboutissues. Not only does it protect against theheart health byflu, but it may also lower your chances ofvisitingthe Americanexperiencing a major heart issue by 36%.Heart Association atheart.org. Find a flu shotThe flu vaccine is available at no additional cost,and you can get vaccinated at any provider that accepts Medicare,such as your doctor’s office, pharmacies, limited service clinics, andcommunity health centers. Visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines to findwhere to get a flu shot. Remember!Original Medicare doesn’t coverdental visits or oral exams—but wedo! Add one of our three DentalBlue 65 plans to your existingMedex plan and get the dentalbenefits that will keep you covered.Call us today at 1-888-366-3212(TTY: 711), Monday through Friday,8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or visitbluecrossma.com/dentalblue tolearn more.bluecrossma.com/medicare 3

Natickhealthy communityNatick COA:Connecting, caring, collaboratingLike most other Councils onAging (COAs), the Natick COAaims to support, engage, andconnect with seniors in thecommunity. But what makes theNatick COA unique is that it’shoused inside the town’sCommunity Senior Center—andopen to people of all ages.“We have a really lovely synergyin the building,” says SusanRamsey, Director of the NatickCOA. “It allows us to meet the widerange of needs of all our seniors,from ages 50 to 105.”The 35,000-square-foot spacehouses a full-size gym, a 125-seatgreat room, and many classrooms.It allows the Natick COA to offer allkinds of classes and programs—from tap dancing tocaregiver supportgroups. They alsooffer trips forkayaking and localmuseum tours. Andfor those seniorswho are wary of coming in person,many programs are availablevirtually. “We’ve learned how topivot and be flexible, and to findnew ways of reaching people,”says Ramsey. “We’re nowconnecting with as many seniorsas we did before the pandemic.”Putting a focus onhuman servicesAnother central focus of the NatickCOA is meeting the humanservices needs of their seniors. Tothis end, the COA employs twofull-time human services staffmembers. They help seniors withmany different services—fromcase management and applyingfor fuel assistance to providinginformation and referrals forsupport services.Staff members can help seniorsget meals through Meals onWheels and assist with rides toappointments. A “Care and PrepareProgram” makes sure seniors have To see what services are available in your area, or tobecome a volunteer, contact your local senior center.Visit www.mcoaonline.com and click on “Find Your COA.”4 HEALTHY TIMES WINTER/SPRING 2022enough food and medicine before astorm. “It’s all about checking in onour seniors and looking out forthem,” says Ramsey.Making connections,building communitySocial connections can improveyour health, even when you'refeeling isolated. Ramsey says herentire 17-person staff is focused onmaking personal connections. Andshe credits her 11-member COAboard for being passionateadvocates about issues on aging.“We see close to 3,000 seniors ayear, and we have a high successrate in connecting with them,” saysRamsey. “Our intention is towelcome and get to knoweveryone who comes in. When youknow and care about people, it’seasy to identify their needs andsee where they might need help.”We want to hear from you.How does a local senior centeror COA help you and yourcommunity? Send an email toHealthy.Times@bcbsma.com. Wemay feature it in a future issue!

Your medications.Delivered right to your door.For members who have Medex and Blue MedicareRx (PDP), you are eligible for the mail-orderbenefit of having your long-term maintenance medications shipped to you. The mail-orderprescription drug benefit offers members a 90-day supply of medication through home delivery,which often costs less than a 90-day supply through the retail pharmacy. Plus, shipping is free!Is home delivery right for you?Meet Donna and Judy—two Medicare Part D beneficiaries who take medications daily. But there’s one big difference:DonnaJudyuses home delivery from CVSCaremark " to get 90-day supplies ofher long-term medication. That’s whyDonna gets to:Receivedeliveriesright to herdoorEasily track ordersand sign up forautomatic refillsand safety alertsPrivately talkto a pharmacistfrom anywherefills her prescriptions at a retailpharmacy. Every. Single. Month.That’s why Judy gets to:Miss a dosebecause sheforgot toorder a refillMake time to goto the pharmacyand stand inline—every monthWhisper whenasking thepharmacistquestions.The bottom line: Be like Donna. Get started with the convenience of home delivery.Register today at rxmedicareplans.com/members/mail-service. Questions? Call Customer Supportat 1-888-543-4917 (TTY: 711), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.To prevent falls, look in your medicine cabinetOne of the best ways to prevent falls is to plan ahead:Schedule a fall screening with your doctor, even if youthink you don’t need it.If you take prescription medications, part of livingwell is taking that medicine as directed. Even then,you could experience side effects that increase thelikelihood of falling. Along with injuries, falls canresult in hospital trips and even disability.Review all your medicines with your doctor on aregular basis. Ask about potential side effects if youdon’t know what they are, as well as symptoms thatneed emergency care. Certain medicine combinationscan also increase chances for sideeffects. And as the number ofmedicines you take increases, sodoes your fall risk.Be sure to tell your doctor aboutany side effects you may have. Theymay change your medicine dosageor replace it with a different type.(Don’t adjust or stop taking medicine onyour own.) They can also check for other healthproblems and talk about ways to avoid falls.bluecrossma.com/medicare 5