The Advantage | ISSUE 1 | 2024

There are actions you can take to reduce your risk!

With one in eight women being diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, it’s key to be aware of your risk factors and get regular mammograms to promote early detection and treatment of any existing cancer for the best outcome.

The two most common risk factors of breast cancer are being born female and getting older. There are other risk factors you are born with or cannot impact like genetics, family history of breast cancer, dense breast tissue, or previous exposure to radiation therapy. Your reproductive history can also affect your risk, for example, a pregnancy after 30 years old, not breastfeeding, and/or not experiencing a full-term pregnancy.

Breast cancer risk factors you can affect:

• Not being physically active
• Being overweight or diagnosed with obesity after menopause
• Taking certain hormone replacement therapy for more than five years or taking certain oral contraceptives
• Drinking alcohol (Moderate drinking for women is one or fewer drinks per day.)
• Smoking
• Exposure to some chemicals and hormone changes related to night-shift work

Reducing your risk factors does not replace the need to get regular mammograms. Ask your provider if you are due for your screening.

Get screened to prevent or catch cancer early!

Colon cancer is the fourth-most-common cancer found in men and women (excluding some skin cancers). Many cancers are not detectable until in later stages, but colorectal cancer can be found early or even prevented through regular screening. There are several screening options available, though, for most people, colonoscopy is preferred.

Some benefits of a colonoscopy are:

• Precancerous polyps can be removed during the procedure.
• Recommended frequency of screening is every 10 years (for those without an increased risk of colorectal cancer).
• If something unusual is discovered using a different screening, a follow-up colonoscopy would be recommended.

Colorectal cancer screening is now recommended for people aged 45–70 years due to an increase in diagnoses in those under 50. The overall drop in colorectal cancer rates over the years has been attributed to increased screening.

Get screened—avoid cancer altogether or catch it much sooner, when it’s easier to treat.

In 2024, the Prime (HMO-POS), Access (LPPO) and Select (LPPO) plans have a sixth tier of medication coverage called “Select Care” drugs. This includes commonly prescribed generic medications used to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Tier 6 has a $0 copay during the Part D deductible, initial coverage, and coverage gap phases when filled at a preferred retail pharmacy or through the CVS Caremark mail-order pharmacy.

Not all generic medications used to treat the conditions noted above are included on Tier 6. Enalapril, rosuvastatin, and glimepiride are examples that are covered on Tier 1, not Tier 6. You can view the list of covered drugs at MartinsPoint.org/PartD to see your medication’s tier.

With the convenient CVS Caremark mail-order option, you can sign up for automatic refills when our records show you should be close to running out. You will be contacted before shipping to make sure you need more.

To learn more or sign up, please call CVS Caremark Customer Care at 1-888-296-6961. You can also find information in your Generations Advantage Evidence of Coverage.

Protect your vision with yearly eye exams!

If you are living with diabetes, taking extra care of your eye health is extremely important.

Did you know?

• A person with diabetes has a 25-times-higher risk of blindness than someone without diabetes.
• 90% of vision loss caused by diabetes can be avoided with early detection and treatment.

Getting a diabetic eye exam every year is highly recommended because these screenings can detect eye disease long before you may have any symptoms. For these exams, also called dilated-eye exams, eye drops enlarge your pupils so your doctor can examine the back of your eyes. They will look for swelling of the retina, leaking blood vessels, nerve damage, cataracts, and other eye diseases more common with diabetes.

In addition to diabetic retinopathy, which is damage to the blood vessels in the retina and causes the most blindness in those with diabetes, there are other eye diseases that impact people with diabetes at a higher rate:

• Cataracts: people with diabetes are 2 to 5 times more likely to develop cataracts and develop them at younger ages.
• Open angle glaucoma: having diabetes doubles your risk of this form of glaucoma.

In addition to getting annual diabetic eye exams, managing your blood sugars is essential. Uncontrolled blood sugars not only increase your risk of eye diseases but can also cause problems with your kidneys, heart, and circulatory system. Speak with your primary care provider or endocrinologist if you are having difficulty managing your blood sugars with your current treatment plan.

Osteoporosis—weak and brittle bones—is a common disease, especially in women. Unfortunately, this “silent” disease is often only diagnosed after a person has a bone fracture. Osteoporotic fractures can lead to pain, poor quality of life, or even death.

A bone density scan is the best way to diagnose osteoporosis. This exam is a quick and painless X-ray or ultrasound that tests bone strength. Bone density scans are considered preventive care just like colorectal cancer screenings and mammograms. The good news is that, if you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, there are safe medication options with proven results of decreasing the risk of repeat fractures.

if you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, there are safe medication options with proven results of decreasing the risk of repeat fractures.

If you are a woman who has had a recent bone fracture and has not had a bone density scan, you may receive a letter from your Generations Advantage plan. Our goal is to provide education on the importance of bone density scans and encourage you to start a conversation with your PCP about your bone health at your next visit.

If you’re over the age of 50 and break a bone simply by falling from a standing position, it could be the first sign of osteoporosis.

Urinary Incontinence

Talk with your doctor about treatment options.

Although it may feel uncomfortable to discuss urinary incontinence (UI) with your provider, it can help to know you are far from alone. Urinary incontinence (unintended leakage) is common in older adults although it is not considered a normal part of aging. The good news is that there are treatment options available.

Why is it important to speak to your doctor?

There are several types of urinary incontinence with different symptoms and causes, including urinary tract infections, constipation, nerve blockage, and more. Your doctor needs to understand your symptoms to determine what type you have and what treatments to consider.

A bladder diary capturing your toileting habits over several days is a helpful tool to share with your provider. Include details like these:

• Listing everything you ate and drank on those days
• How many times you intentionally urinated throughout the day
• How many nighttime trips you made to the bathroom
• The strength of your urine flow
• Did you experience any accidents. If so, how many? What caused the accidents?

Treating incontinence matters for your physical and mental health.

Along with the physical effects, those with UI may also tend to avoid social contacts due to the unpredictability and inconvenience of their condition. This isolation can affect mental health and overall quality of life. All the more reason to speak up at your next visit and explore treatments that can help you manage your UI and get back to enjoying life with confidence.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress—help is available no matter what time of day or night. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is there to assist with a range of support—for those in crisis and/or considering suicide or self-harm to those who need help with the mental health challenges that come with substance abuse, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, getting over abuse, mental or physical illness, loneliness, and more. To get help right away:

• Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
• Veteran’s Crisis Line: call 988 then press 1
• Call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).
• Text HOME to 741741 to access the Crisis Text Line.

Behavioral Health Care Management Program

A Martin’s Point care manager can also help address ongoing behavioral health needs. To speak with a Martin’s Point behavioral health care manager about our free care management program, call 1-877-659-2403.

Learn more about ways to support the mental health of adults and children on our website at MartinsPoint.org/MentalHealth.

Ongoing Support

Get answers and advice for managing non-life-threatening medical issues. Our nurses can help you understand symptoms, offer advice on health management, and guide you in maintaining your well-being.

After-Hours Decision Making

If you’re unsure whether a condition requires an ER visit or can be managed at home, our nurses offer quick assessments and guidance. They can help you decide if you should seek urgent care or if it’s safe to wait for a regular appointment.