FHCP TECHNOLOGY CORNER

Doctor on Demand Members enrolled in Florida Health Care Plans now have access to an ex-citing new health benefit: Doctor on Demand (DOD). DOD provides easy, stress-free access to board-certified medical doctors and licensed psychol-ogists through telemedicine video visits.

Text “FHCP” to 68398 to download the Doctor on Demand app on your smartphone, tablet or computer today!

myFHCP At home or on the go you now have quick and easy access to your Florida Health Care Plan information wherev-er and whenever you need it. With in-tuitive navigation and a smart design, “myFHCP” brings the power of our plans to the palm of your hand.

H1035_NR791 (11/07/2016)

@myFHCP

WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS, FLORIDA HEALTH CARE PLANS MEMBERS!

We are proud to announce our brand new FHCP Member Portal. We had you in mind with our updated features, so sign up and take a look around! In the new Member Portal, we provide you with information about your plans and benefits, medical claims, medi-cations and general recommendations for how to get the most out of your health.

You can find a doctor that suits you and your family’s plan; print your FHCP Member ID Card right from your fingertips; use our symptom tracker to help you become more educated about your conditions; and even submit documents and chat securely.

We want to offer peace of mind to all of our Members, so you can get the most out of your health care options from right at home.

What are you waiting for? Click the Member Portal button at the top left of this screen to get started! Please note that you will need to sign up with a brand new account, but the quick process lets you get the information you need right away!

- FHCP, Your Community Partner in Good Health

DIABETES AND THE RETINAL EYE EXAM

If you are diabetic, you can help to prevent or delay vision loss by taking medications as prescribed, staying physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet.

It is also very important to have a diabetic retinal exam yearly. This exam, recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) can help your doctor to catch problems early. Diabetic retinopathy is a medical condition so your retinal exam is covered under your Florida Health Care Plans medical, not vision benefits.

Look for communication in the coming weeks from Florida Health Care Plans asking about your eye exam. The information you provide will be placed in in your medical record to assist in the overall management of your care.

If you need assistance finding a provider to make an appointment for your exam, please contact Florida Health Care Plans Member Services at 386-615-4022 or toll free at 877-615-4022 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The hearing impaired may call TRS Relay 711.

GUIDELINES FOR TAKING ANTIDEPRESSANTS

If you are on a medication for depression, please follow these guidelines to help deal with side effects, avoid drug interactions and reduce other safety con-cerns.

• Follow instructions. Be sure to take your antide-pressant according to the doctor’s instructions. Don’t skip or alter your dose, and don’t stop taking your pills as soon as you begin to feel better. Stop-ping treatment prematurely is associated with high relapse rates and can cause serious withdrawal symptoms.

• Beware of drug interactions. You should avoid drinking alcohol since it can lessen the effects of the medication. Dangerous drug interactions can occur when these medications are taken with antihistamines, found in many over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines and sleep aids, or with prescription painkillers. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before combining medications.

• Monitor side effects. Keep track of any physical and emotional changes you’re experiencing and talk to your doctor about them. Contact your doctor or therapist immediately if your depression worsens or you experience an increase in suicidal thoughts. See your doctor on a regular basis.

• Be patient. Finding the right drug and dosage is a trial and error process. It takes approximately four to six weeks for antidepressant medications to reach their full therapeutic effect. Many people try several medications before finding one that helps.

MEMBER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

When you take the time to educate yourself about health and wellness topics, you're not only improving your mind, but you're also taking a step in the right direction to changing your life. FHCP members have access to so many FREE classes about all kinds of health topics! From diabetes prevention to Weightless, FHCP has a class for you.

DOCTOR ON DEMAND

Please check out the convenient benefit of Doctor on Demand! Get treated for your cold, flu, or almost any common medical issue with the Doctor On Demand video visit with a board certified Physician or psychol-ogist. Go to http://DoctorOnDemand.com/fhcp to sign-up or simply text “FHCP” to 6839 on your mobile device

DECEMBER IS NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL MONTH

We all know that we have to pay attention to our cholesterol, but many adults don’t even know what it is, what is doesm or how they can maintain a healthy cholesterol.

What Is Cholesterol?

To understand high blood cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol), it helps to learn about cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body.Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. However, cholesterol also is found in some of the foods you eat.

Cholesterol travels through your bloodstream in small packages called lipoproteins (lip-o-PRO-teens). These packages are made of fat (lipid) on the inside and pro-teins on the outside.Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol through-out your body: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Having healthy levels of both types of lipoproteins is important.

LDL cholesterol sometimes is called “bad” cholester-ol. A high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries. (Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your body.)

HDL cholesterol sometimes is called “good” choles-terol. This is because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver re-moves the cholesterol from your body.

National Institute of Health: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbc/

GINGERBREAD BANANA BREAD

Ingredients3 brown bananas, mashed1/4 cup maple syrup1/4 cup molasses1 teaspoon vanilla extract3 eggs1/2 cup cashew butter (or other nut/seed butter)1/4 cup coconut flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon powdered ginger1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground cloves1/2 teaspoon nutmegpinch of salt1-2 tablespoons organic powdered sugar

Instructions1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x4 loaf

pan then line the middle with parchment paper. It will make it easier to remove from the pan.

2. In a food processor, add all ingredients and puree until completely combined.

3. Pour batter into loaf pan then place in oven to bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.5. Once cool, top with sifted organic powdered sugar!