Member Newsletter - Winter 2021

Welcome!

• Phone: (541) 229-4842 or Toll Free at (866) 672-1551, TTY (541) 440-6304
• Fax: (541) 677-6038
• Email: UHAMemberServices@UmpquaHealth.com
• Website: www.UmpquaHealth.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UmpquaHealth/
  
    We hope to be opening our doors again soon. 
  
  The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the COVID-19 Vaccines
  
  
• Phase 1A: Healthcare Professionals and Long Term Care residents and personnel.
  
• Phase 1B: Child-care, preschool, K-12 school, and district office staff.
  
• Those who are older will receive their vaccines first. For up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the vaccines, please visit their website at: https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19.

• Recently, three additional Care Coordination team members received their certification to become Community Healthcare Workers (CHW). This is a great addition to the work they are already doing for our members. They connect members to community resources for transportation, housing, employment, food etc., as well as assist with understanding the healthcare system and serve as a liaison between you and the community providers.
  
• The Intensive Care Coordination team consists of 2 Registered nurses, 2 Registered Respiratory Therapists, and 1 CHW. This team focuses on members with complex medical needs to develop a plan of care that fits their person healthcare and social needs.
  
• The Transitional Care Coordination team consists of 1 RN, 1 LPN and 1 CHW.  This team will assist you in coordinating your healthcare needs after a hospital or skilled nursing admission and will assist you with coordinating your healthcare needs if you move out of the area.
  
• The Integrated Care Coordination team consists of 3 MA’s, one of which is a CHW.  This team will assist in coordinating your discharge needs during a hospital admission, and are also available to coordinate healthcare and social needs in general.
• If you would like more information about Care Coordination, Intensive Care Coordination (ICC), Transitional Care Coordination, Integrated Care Coordination, CHW’s, or Traditional Healthcare Workers (THW), please visit our website at https://www.umpquahealth.com/case-management/.
  • You can find a list of our CHW’s and how to contact them as well. 
  • You can also call UHA Customer Care at 541-229-4842 to connect with a Care Coordinator. 

• Are you experiencing difficulties receiving the quality care or service you deserve? Do you have problems interacting with your provider or getting access to the care you need? UHA wants to help! Members have the right to file a grievance (complaint) for any matter. 
  • You can file a grievance with UHA by phone, email, or mail as listed at the top of the newsletter. You also have the right to contact OHP Client Services Unit (CSU) at 800-273-0557 or OHA’s Ombudsperson at 577-642-0450.
• Have you received a denial letter? It would have a title called “Notice of Adverse Benefit Determination.” THIS IS NOT A BILL. It is a letter to notify you when your provider asked UHA to cover a service or item and it was denied. This happens when your diagnosis or treatment request does not meet OHP criteria. If you disagree with this decision, you can file an appeal.
  • You can start the appeal by calling Customer Care at 541-229-4842. However, a written appeal form (OHP 3302) is still required. This form is sent to you with your denial letter. If you need another form, they are available on our website at www.umpquahealth.com/appeals-and-grievances/, or by calling Customer Care. We can also help you complete this form. You can ask for a fast appeal if needed.
  • You must start the appeal process within 60 days from the date on the denial notice.
• For more information on the grievance and appeal process details and timelines, or if you need help, visit our website (link located above), or call Customer Care. 
• If you would like to mail us a complaint or appeal, please send it to:
  Attn: UHA Customer Care
  500 SE Cass Ave, Suite 101
  Roseburg, OR 97470
  

Healthy Habits

• A lot of people have had the symptoms of a heart attack ingrained into their brain from an early age. And why not? Heart attacks are a major factor in heart disease which is has been the leading cause of death in America for a long time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 655,000 Americans die from heart disease every year. But what causes heart disease?
  • Heart disease happens when plaque builds up in the walls of someone’s arteries. When this happens, the arteries become more narrow which makes it hard for the blood to flow properly throughout your body. If a blood clot forms, it could get stuck. If it gets stuck, it could block your blood from going where it needs to go. If that happens, you could have a heart attack or stroke.

• Heart disease can affect anyone, no matter your gender, race, or age. According to the American Heart Association, you can start building plaque in your arteries as early as childhood and adolescence. With the ever growing issues with obesity and lack of exercise, it has become more common for middle-aged people to develop heart disease. 
• February 5th is National Wear Red Day. The American Heart Association has created the Go Red for Women program. It is dedicated to ending the number 1 killer of women. To join the cause, please visit https://www.goredforwomen.org/en.
• The American Heart Association has developed an interactive online tool that helps you assess and track your heart health so you can better understand your risk of developing heart disease. It’s called My Life Check ®. It helps you learn more about Life’s Simple 7 ®. These are the 7 risk factors that people can improve by simple lifestyle changes.

• One of the best ways to help keep you from developing heart disease is to eat healthy. With you and your family spending so much time at home lately, and with spring right around the corner, why not start your own vegetable and/or fruit garden?
  • Spinach seeds are best sowed, or planted, outside in the end of February or early March. Sowing is when you plant a seed by scattering it either in the ground, or on top of it.
  • Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, and Cabbages are also great to plant outside in March. 
  • Strawberries can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. This usually means when the ground will no longer freeze at night. You can buy seeds to start out. The easiest way to get a good crop of strawberries, however, is to buy a start from the store.
  • There are local plant warehouses like Young’s Gardens that provide seeds and plant starts as well as a wealth of knowledge on the plants you’re buying.
    • They are located at 4702 NE Stephens St. in Roseburg. You can also visit their website at: http://www.youngs-garden.com/.
• Once you've homegrown your fruits and vegetables, what do you do with it?
  • Sounds easy right? Just eat it! Not as simple as it sounds surprisingly enough. It’s hard getting into the habit of using what you grow instead of what you buy at the store. A lot of people will still go to the grocery store to buy what they need for a recipe, even if they grew it right outside their house. www.theseasonalhomestead.com has a blog called “Garden to Table: How to Make the Most of Your Homegrown Food”. It breaks down the reasons behind why we tend to buy foods that we’ve already grown ourselves. They give you alternative ways to think about your grocery shopping so that you don’t end up wasting all that hard work on your garden.
• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is celebrating National Nutrition Month by challenging everyone to participate in their campaign to learn about making better food choices and learning healthy eating habits.
  • They include a list of 40 ideas to get involved in the campaign. This includes a flyer for Smart Snacking Tips for Kids, and 20 Ways to Enjoy More Fruits and Vegetables. You can find these flyers and more at https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month/ideas-to-get-involved-in-nnm.

Community Resources and Events

• The Ford Family Foundation has created a free book program called “Select Books”.
  • You can pick from many of their titles to be shipped to you, free of charge. These books range from children stories to how to help your children deal with stress. You can also get books that about education, the economy, community, arts, and engagement. 
  • Currently available (subject to change), is a book called Mabel and the Fire. The story is about a puppy and her family who lost their home in a wildfire. With the wildfires that Douglas County suffered this past summer, it’s a helpful way for children to understand how they feel about what happened. It helps them identify their emotions. 
  • To browse their book selection and order your own copy of their many titles, please visit https://www.tfff.org/select-books.

Kids' Corner