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Chronic Condition Care starting July 1st, 2008
 The Fund is introducing a new program
on July 1 called Chronic Condition Care. This is the first
program in the Fund’s new Healthy Connections Initiative
Chronic Condition
Care is free, voluntary and confidential, and is specially
designed for all non-Medicare eligible participants and dependents
who have been diagnosed with:
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Asthma
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
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Coronary artery disease (CAD)
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Diabetes
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A history of heart failure
Chronic conditions are health issues that may never go away;
however, studies show that people who learn to manage them can
better control their health, recover faster when sick and feel
better longer.
Chronic Condition Care provides
valuable information and one-on-one assistance to help
people improve their overall health, giving them extra support in
addition to their doctor’s treatment plan.
HMC, the company that manages the program for the Fund, will
identify participants who have been diagnosed with any of the
conditions listed above and contact them to invite them to
participate.
If you would like to check out HMC's website click on the link
below.
HOW YOUR BENEFITS ARE AFFECTED
Eligible individuals who choose to participate in the program
(opt-in) will maintain their same level of benefit coverage.
However, if you have been contacted by HMC and choose not to
participate (opt-out), the Plan coinsurance percentage you pay will
increase by 10%. This increased coinsurance percentage will
apply to all of your future medical claims (but it will not apply to
claims for any other currently enrolled benefits).
HOW WE KEEP YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
CONFIDENTIAL
Federal privacy regulations require the Fund to keep your health
information confidential. As the Fund’s partner in managing the
Chronic Condition Care program, HMC will access individual health
claim information—and must also maintain strict confidentiality
of your health information.
Participants in the Chronic Condition Care program work directly
with HMC, not the Fund. Your interactions with HMC are not shared
with the Union, your employer or anyone else. The Fund will
receive individual-specific information about participation in the
program only to administer the correct coinsurance.
HOW CHRONIC CONDITION CARE HELPS
EVERYONE
All of us on the Board of Trustees are pleased to offer Chronic
Condition Care. We believe it is going to help many participants
take control of their health and feel better. We also anticipate
that it will reduce the number of health care claims, which will
keep costs down for the Fund and all participants—an important
issue as health care costs continue to rise at an alarming pace.
Please watch for more information about Chronic Condition Care in
the spring newsletter and in your home mail in June.
Here’s to Your Good Health,
Larry Bell Steve Boyd
Co-Chairs, Alaska Electrical Health & Welfare Fund
The information
contained on this website is intended to be a summary only. In
case of a difference, actual Plan Provisions will apply.
Always refer to your Summary Plan Description for details.
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