Kern Legacy Health Plan | A Legacy of Good Health | Spring 2021

Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, many people put off in-person doctor visits in order to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. For you and your family, that may have meant avoiding some routine care. But now it’s time to catch up on any preventive health services you missed. A good way to stay healthy Preventive care includes screening tests, vaccines and wellness checkups that help you stay healthy. It includes things like: ● Mammograms and Pap tests for women. ● Screenings for heart disease and cancer. ● Childhood vaccines and well-child visits. ● Flu and pneumonia shots. ● Routine checkups where you can get advice about diet, exercise and safety. Your Kern Legacy Health Plan covers preventive care services like these. So don’t put them off. It’s safe to visit your doctor again—and doing so helps keep you and your family healthy. Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; HealthCare.gov Is it safe to have surgery yet? In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals postponed surgeries that weren’t urgent or lifesaving. The reason? To help curb the spread of COVID-19 and conserve resources for the most ill patients. Based on current COVID-19 rates in our area, we are confident many of those procedures can now be safely resumed. When you should move forward with your surgery will depend on many factors. You and your doctor should discuss all the pros and cons. To start, you may want to ask: ● Will my condition get worse if I delay surgery? ● Are there other treatments I can try if I decide to wait? ● Am I in a high-risk group for complications from COVID-19? ● How long will I be in the hospital? ● Will I be able to have visitors? ● Are there special steps I’ll need to take once I’m back home? ● What follow-up visits will I need after surgery? Safety is our priority If you and your doctor agree that you should have surgery now, you can trust our team. We will take steps to protect you from COVID-19. For instance: ● All patients and staff must wear masks and other protective gear. ● All patients and staff are checked for COVID-19 symptoms. ● All surgery patients are tested for COVID-19 before their procedures. We’re grateful for your patience and understanding. And we want you to know that your health and safety always come first. Need emergency care? Call 911. MY DOCTOR VISIT checklist This checklist can help you communicate better with your doctor. Fill it out and take it with you to your appointment. You might also use it to prepare for calls to your doctor’s office about your care. Your health/treatment Questions to ask ■ Do you have any follow-up instructions for me? Can I get those in writing? ■ When will I get the test results from my visit? ■ When should I schedule my next appointment? ■ When should I expect to see improvement? ■ If there is no improvement, what should I do? ■ How should I contact you if I have questions after this visit? Staying well Questions to ask ■ Does my family health history raise my risk for any health problems? ■ What vaccines, screenings or medical tests do I need? ■ What are some steps you think I should take to stay healthy? I feel good not so good getting worse seriously ill Catch up on preventive care