Consumerism e-mail: Are you Informed Care Decisions?

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SUBJECT: Are You Making Informed Care Decisions?

While preventive care services are important, more care doesn’t necessarily mean better care. According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, there’s a 43 percent chance that when you visit your doctor, you will receive an unnecessary medical test that costs you time and money.

So how do you know what care services are right for you? Highmark provides several resources to help you make educated, appropriate care decisions. You can phone your Health Coach at 1-888-BLUE-428 for a confidential assessment and discussion any day of the week, any time of the day. You can also access medically accurate, in-depth information on your Highmark member Web site, including information on all types of health conditions, medications and care options.

Of course, it’s also important that you develop an open and honest relationship with your physician, so you can discuss the pros and cons of every medical test or treatment. It’s critical that the care you get is the care you need. To help make that happen, take advantage of all your resources to be an informed health care consumer.