-- The American Diabetes Association reports that 20% of diabetics who skipped their doctor’s appointments since the start of the pandemic are developing health issues as a result. While 25% are reporting trouble controlling their blood glucose levels, 10% say they have developed new complications like high blood pressure, heart problems, peripheral artery disease and other related problems.
Says Michael Tehrani, M.D., a board-certified internist with Brand New Day, a Medicare Advantage prescription health plan that offers a special treatment program for those with diabetes, “Since March of 2020, we’ve seen an uptick in patients who missed their regular doctor’s appointments and, unfortunately, some are now experiencing a whole host of health issues that could have been avoided. Kidney damage, vision problems and increased risk for heart disease and stroke are among the very real consequences of not getting examined by your doctor regularly. And if blood glucose levels remain high, it can also be life-threatening.”
Brand New Day’s Embrace Plan, which is for members with diabetes or who have heart disease or hypertension, says it maintains contact with its members to ensure they are keeping their appointments and even offers transportation to and from their doctor’s visits.
“As more and more people are getting vaccinated, I hope they will feel more confident about not contracting COVID and will resume making their doctor visits,” hopes Tehrani, who advises that the public continue to abide by CDC’s COVID guidelines.
Brand New Day, which is available in 16 California counties, has distinguished itself from other health plans by offering a variety of specialized programs in addition to its standard Medicare plan. In addition to Embrace, the Harmony Plan helps members with myriad mental illnesses ranging from major depression and schizophrenia to schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder and paranoid disorders; its Bridges Plan is for members with dementia and Alzheimer’s; and the SelectCare Plan for members residing in community living, assisted living, long-term care and nursing homes.
For qualifying members, the plans cover transportation to and from medical appointments; vision, dental and hearing aids; 24-hour/day nurse and physician line; and health nurses and life coaches. In addition, members with chronic illnesses are not only treated medically, but in a variety of other ways including education about the member’s chronic or ongoing medical conditions and avoidable risks, nutrition, exercise, self-testing and monitoring, medication adherence to doctor orders, preventive care planning and linkage to community support programs.
Brand New Day’s personalized approach is designed to keep its members healthy and independent and its team of caring healthcare professionals share one common goal — to improve the overall well-being of each member by offering members “healthcare you can feel good about.”
For more information about Brand New Day, visit BNDHMO.com or call (866) 255-4795.
*****
Release ID: 89024095