Fidelis Care Undertakes Quality Care Initiative for Senior Members

QUEENS, NY (11/23/2011)(readMedia)-- Fidelis Care, the New York State Catholic Health Plan, has undertaken an extensive quality care outreach initiative to make personal contact with Fidelis Care Medicare Advantage and Dual Advantage members in New York State who have not received the wellness and preventive care services they need.

Fidelis Care's quality care initiatives forge partnerships between Fidelis Care's providers, members, and the company's Quality Health Care Management Department, with the goal of improving health outcomes for members, and members' quality of life. Ensuring that seniors are taking advantage of wellness programs, obtaining preventive screenings, and caring for chronic health conditions, are important steps in this process.

As part of the outreach to Medicare Advantage and Dual Advantage members, Fidelis Care's Quality Health Care Management Department conducted an outreach campaign to more than 4,200 members who needed preventive care services. Clinical Care staff provided each contacted member with a general overview of available services, gave reminders on needed preventive health screenings, assisted with appointment scheduling, and provided additional information and assistance as needed.

In addition to the telephone outreach campaign, Fidelis Care has developed a number of resources for Medicare Advantage and Dual Advantage members. A senior-focused brochure titled, "Take Charge of Your Health," provides insight on senior health issues, as well as recommendations on how to communicate with an individual's primary care doctor or specialist. An informational video on changes to Medicare for 2012, and senior health tips from Fidelis Care's Chief Medical Officer, is available on Time Warner Cable's Video on Demand platform channel 1278, as well as on Telecare TV, available on Cablevision and Verizon FiOS.

Fidelis Care's Pharmacy Department routinely contacts members who take certain medications to treat chronic illnesses, to encourage them to be tested to ensure their medication is a helpful part of their disease management. The Clinical Care staff at Fidelis Care also provide a variety of case management services to assist members with chronic conditions such Diabetes, Asthma, and low bone mineral density in women. An emphasis is also placed on educating our members about the importance of obtaining breast and colorectal cancer screening tests. Women enrolled in Medicare Advantage and Dual Advantage programs who had not obtained a recent mammogram received a reminder postcard as part of this process.

Additionally, every Medicare Advantage and Dual Advantage member who had missed an important screening or service received a personalized letter that stated which health care services and screenings they still needed to receive. In addition, these members were provided with details on Fidelis Care's incentive programs that encourage members to obtain required care.

Fidelis Care offers a variety of benefit options for seniors through the Fidelis Medicare Advantage, Dual Advantage, Medicaid Advantage Plus, and Fidelis Care at Home programs, available in certain counties. Fidelis Care also offers free or low-cost health insurance through New York State's Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus, and Medicaid Managed Care programs. Members are covered for regular checkups, preventive care, routine screenings, hospital and emergency care, dental care, and more.

With more than 700,000 members in 58 counties statewide, Fidelis Care is the largest government programs-based health insurance provider in New York State. Members have access to a provider network of more than 48,000 health care professionals statewide. Regional offices are located in Albany, Syracuse, Amherst, and Rego Park (Queens), with satellite offices in Rochester, Poughkeepsie, and Suffern.

For more information on Medicare 2012, please call 1-800-860-8707 or 1-800-558-1125 for the speech or hearing impaired. Medicare information is also available at www.fideliscare.org, or www.medicare.gov.

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