This document is a newsletter from MetroPlus Health Plan providing information to members on various health topics such as panic attacks, breast cancer services covered, diabetes management for teens, preterm labor signs, asthma and allergy triggers and treatments. It also includes notices about privacy policies, important benefits, new hospital facilities, and reminders about coverage recertification.

1. HealthLetter
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Phone:1-800-303-9626
®
MetroPlus Health Letter®
is published four times a year by MetroPlus Health Plan in cooperation with Redspring Communications, Inc. © 2002 MetroPlus Health Plan. All rights reserved.
MetroPlus Health Letter is a registered trademark of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. No material in this issue
may be reproduced without permission from MetroPlus Health Plan. Health Letter does not promote any form of medical treatment, nor does it encourage the self-management of medical
problems. It is meant to supplement, not replace, care from health care professionals.
Editor: Mari S. Gold
PLAN NEWS
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IllustrationsbyMarthaKowalski
Do You Have
Panic Attacks?
A panic attack is scary. Your heart beats fast
and you feel out of control. Some people think
they are having a heart attack.
What Causes a
Panic Attack?
Panic attacks often run in
families. Women have more panic
attacks than men do. The attacks
usually start around age 25, but
they can happen at any time
of life.
What Should You Do?
If your panic attacks happen
enough to disrupt your normal
life, see your PCP. He or she will
check to make sure you do not
have a physical problem. Then,
you may be referred to a mental
health provider.
Treating Panic Attacks
The best treatment is often a combination
of medication and behavior therapy. In
therapy, you learn what triggers your attacks.
You can also learn special ways to breathe
and other ways to calm down. These can help
stop a panic attack before it starts. Doing
things that you enjoy also helps. Learning a
new skill, listening to music, and exercise all
may help you relax.
Privacy Notice
MetroPlus Health Plan respects your privacy rights. This
notice describes how we treat the nonpublic personal
financial and health information (“Information”) we
receive about you and what we do to keep it confidential
and secure.
Categories of Information We Collect and May Disclose
MetroPlus collects Information about you from the
following sources:
■ Information you give us on applications and other forms
or that you tell us.
■ Information about your dealings with us, the health care
providers we work with, and others.
What We Do With Your Information
We do not disclose Information about our members and former
members to anyone, except as permitted by law.
We do use Information as permitted by law for health
plan purposes, such as the following:
■ To provide the health care benefits you receive as a
member of MetroPlus Health Plan; for example, to arrange
for treatment that you need and to pay for services you
receive.
■ To communicate with you about programs and services
that are available to you as a MetroPlus member.
■ To manage our business and comply with legal and
regulatory requirements.
How We Protect Your Privacy
■ We limit access to your Information to employees and
other persons who need it to conduct MetroPlus Health
Plan business or comply with legal and regulatory
requirements.
■ Employees are subject to discipline, and may be fired, if
they violate our privacy policies and procedures.
■ We also use physical, electronic, and procedural
safeguards to keep Information confidential and secure in
accordance with state and federal regulations.
Former Members
If your membership in MetroPlus Health Plan ends,
your Information will remain protected in accordance with
our policies and procedures for current members.
You Can Contact Us at the Address or Phone
Number Below to:
■ Request more information about our privacy policies and
practices.
■ File a privacy-related complaint with us.
■ Request (in writing) to review Information about you in
our records.
Member Services, MetroPlus Health Plan
11 West 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10036
Phone: 1-800-303-9626 (TDD 1-800-881-2812)
Attention
MetroPlus Members
MetroPlus Health Plan wants to be sure that
you are aware of your rights to receive the
services listed below as part of your MetroPlus
health coverage.
■ Cancer Care Second Opinion. For the
diagnosis of cancer, recurrence of cancer, or
a recommendation regarding cancer treatment,
MetroPlus will pay for a second opinion from
a cancer specialist including one affiliated
with a specialty care center for the treatment
of cancer, even if the specialist is not part of
the MetroPlus network. A written referral from
your PCP is required.
■ Hospital Care with Breast Cancer Surgery.
If you need a lumpectomy, lymph node dissection,
or mastectomy, MetroPlus will pay for in-hospital
care for as long as your doctor decides it is
necessary, after discussing it with you.
■ Breast Reconstruction Following
Mastectomy. If you have a mastectomy,
MetroPlus will pay for reconstructive surgery on
either or both breasts in the manner you or your
doctor deem appropriate.
■ Mastectomy-Related Services. If you have a
mastectomy, MetroPlus provides benefits for
mastectomy-related services including recon­­
struc­tion and surgery to achieve symmetry
between the breasts, prostheses, and treatment
of complications resulting from mastectomy
(including lymphedema).
If you have questions about these benefits or
any other aspect of your MetroPlus coverage,
please call MetroPlus Member Services at
1-800-303-9626.
Dear MetroPlus
Member:
Like many people today, you may be wondering
what happens to the personal information about
you that your health plan receives. The Privacy
Notice on page 4 of this newsletter tells you
about the personal information MetroPlus
Health Plan collects, what we do with that
information, and the steps we take to keep it
confidential and secure.
Our company’s commitment to customer
privacy is not new. MetroPlus members have
trusted us with their personal information for as
long as we have been in business. We value that
trust and take seriously our responsibility to
protect your privacy.
Please read the Privacy Notice carefully.
No response is required. If you have questions,
however, we would be happy to answer them.
Please call our Member Services Department at
1-800-303-9626 (TDD 1-800-881-2812).
Sincerely,
MetroPlus Health Plan
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FOR METROPLUS MEMBERS
Introducing
Family Health
Plus
Another plus from
MetroPlus: Family
Health Plus (FHPlus)!
FHPlus has no costs
or co-payments. You can
join if you are aged 19
to 64 with or without
children; a U.S. citizen
or “qualified alien”; not
eligible for Medicaid;
and meet certain income
requirements. FHPlus
has great benefits.
To find our more, call
1-800-475-METRO.
Members
Come First
At MetroPlus, the most
important people are
our members. We are
here to help you any
way we can.
If you have a problem
with the Plan, we want
to know. Or,
tell us if you have a
problem with a provider.
If you need us, please
call Member Services at
1-800-303-9626.
MetroPlus Health Letter 4

2. Dealing With
Teen Diabetes
Dr. Felix is a MetroPlus provider. She is a pediatric
endocrinologist who works with kids who have diabetes and
other health problems at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens.
Many people with diabetes do not
have symptoms. Sometimes doctors
find diabetes in teens during a regular
checkup. This is one more reason why
teens need a checkup every year.
We work with teens with diabetes
to help them avoid problems later on.
Our team approach helps you keep
your diabetes under control. Your team is your doctor,
nurse educator, and dietician, and often your school nurse.
We all work together with you.
What Can You Do?
■ Take your insulin or other diabetes medicine as often as
you should.
■ Monitor your blood sugar the way your PCP tells you to.
■ Eat well, which means eating healthy foods. Eat less
fried food, fatty meat, and milk products. Eat more fresh
veggies and fruits. You can still enjoy fast food with
friends. Pick a plain burger with lettuce and tomato
and a diet soda; skip the cheese and shakes.
■ Exercise daily. Pick an activity you like: martial
arts, dancing, walking, swimming, biking, or
running. Stay with it.
■ Talk to your PCP about managing your
diabetes. You’ll be in control!
Site News & Notes
■ Congratulations to four MetroPlus
sites! Metropolitan Hospital Center,
Gouverneur Health Care Services,
Jacobi Medical Center, and
Elmhurst Hospital Center all
scored above the national
average on their Joint
Commission on Accreditation
in Healthcare Organizations
survey.
■ Baby Express arrived at
Harlem Hospital Center, 530
West 137th Street, Manhattan.
Mothers-to-be who get Ob/Gyn
care at Harlem or Renaissance
get a voucher in their third
trimester. When labor begins,
they can phone a livery service
to take them to the hospital!
■ Kings County Hospital Center,
451 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn,
opened a new general care Bed
Tower. All patient rooms in the state-
of-the-art building are private or
semi-private. For more information,
call (718) 245-3910.
■ The new, modern Queens Hospital Center
opened at 82-68 164th Street, Jamaica, Queens.
For more information, call (718) 883-2214.
Preterm Labor
Pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. Preterm labor starts before
37 weeks. Some preterm babies are sick or die because
they are born before they are ready.
What Increases Your Risk?
Stress, smoking, having already had a preterm baby,
being pregnant with twins or triplets, or having diabetes
or hypertension. If you are at risk you may be told to:
■ Change your lifestyle.
■ See your Ob/Gyn more often.
■ Learn how to time your contractions.
Signs of Preterm Labor
These include a heavy feeling in your pelvic area;
dull, low backache; the need to urinate often; cramps
with or without diarrhea; an increase or change in
vaginal discharge.
If you notice any of these signs, call your Ob/Gyn
right away.
MetroPlus Health Letter 2
By Ingrid Felix, M.D.
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Are you sneezing? Do your eyes itch?
Maybe you have trouble breathing.
What’s wrong? You may have allergies
or asthma.
You may be sensitive to plant pollen,
certain foods or medicines, dust, or
animals. An allergy can make you
sneeze, have a runny or itchy nose,
watery eyes, or hives. If you have
a problem, tell your PCP. Try to avoid
the “bad” substance.
Asthma is a lung disease. It
can’t be cured but it can be
controlled. Many children get asthma.
“Triggers” can set off an asthma attack.
Asthma triggers include:
■ Allergies to pets, house dust, or plants.
■ Cigarette smoke.
■ Sickness with coughing like
bronchitis.
Join the MetroPlus AsthmaPlus
program. We will give you lots of special
help. Call 1-800-579-9798 to
learn more or to join.
It’s free!
Do You Have Asthma or Allergies?
Reminders
■ Medicaid and Child Health Plus
You will get a reminder to recertify for Medicaid and Child
Health Plus. Be sure to recertify. This lets you
keep your health care coverage.
■ Do You Have a Hearing Problem?
If you can get to a TDD machine, please call
MetroPlus Member Services at 1-800-881-
2812.
■ Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and
MetroPlus Gold
You should have a yearly physical examination. This
helps you stay healthy. Call your PCP to make your
appointment now.