Beginning this fall, we will be sending important information through text messages. The messages will be sent to pregnant women, caregivers of children covered by SoonerCare and adults covered by SoonerCare.  These messages will promote SoonerCare benefits, helpful resources, health tips, appointment reminders, application renewal reminders and more! Please make sure to update your contact information at www.mysoonercare.org so you won’t miss out!

Did you know that we have a quick and easy way for you to request a new SoonerCare ID card online?

Just go to www.mysoonercare.org and log on to your account. Once you have logged in, there will be a box on the right side bottom of the page with the heading "I want to." There is a list underneath that. Just select "Get ID Card" then you will be able to order a new card.

Did you know that certain over-the-counter (OTC) head lice medications are covered by SoonerCare with a prescription from your doctor? Well, they are.  Children, all across Oklahoma, have returned to school causing the cases of head lice to increase.  As soon as you notice head lice on your child, contact your doctor to schedule an appointment. 

The covered OTC products include Nix® products and all products include a nit comb, which should be used along with other ways of treating lice (washing bedding and clothing in hot water, etc.) to help keep your lice treatment successful and to avoid re-infestation and spreading it to family and friends.  Treating head lice also helps to prevent the spread of head lice at school and daycare.  Along with treating your family, there are other things you can do around the house to get rid of the lice including washing bedding, stuffed animals, towels, and clothing in hot water.  Your doctor will be able to tell you what to do to help with your family’s head lice treatment.        

With the fall season upon us, so is the flu season. It usually lasts from October to May. Influenza, (flu) is a serious disease of the nose, throat and lungs, and it can lead to pneumonia and other severe respiratory (lung) infections. The flu shot is your best chance to avoid the flu.  We know sometimes people think the flu shot can make you sick. This is not true. Receiving the flu vaccine does not cause the flu or the common cold.  The most common complaint is mild discomfort in the area you got the shot.

The flu is extremely contagious and can very easily spread, especially in cramped working conditions such as schools and tight offices. 

The importance of preventing anyone from getting the flu is so important. When you receive the flu vaccine, you are not only protecting yourself but you are also helping to protect your family, friends and co-workers.  

It's easy to understand why people may think that the flu is just a really bad cold. Colds and the flu can share some of the same symptoms, such as a sore throat and runny or stuffy nose; however, the flu is not your common cold; it can result in serious complications, even death.

Have you gone to the dentist this year yet?

SoonerCare covers exams, teeth cleaning, sealants, fillings, fluoride and more for members birth through age 20. 

Tooth decay, also known as cavities, is a disease that's caused by specific germs,  and can last a lifetime-causing you pain and other issues with your teeth along the way.

A crucial way to help limit cavities is to  carefully brush and floss daily, which helps get rid of bacteria, plaque, and sugar off the teeth. Along with brushing and flossing, another way to keep your mouth healthy and full of cavity-free teeth is to go to the dentist for your regular cleanings and exams. 

Your child should see a dentist by his first birthday, according to recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Association (AAPD). If you wait until your child is older, decay can be well underway. We cover two teeth cleanings with exams every year for children birth through age 20.

Does Your Child Need Braces?

SoonerCare members must maintain their child's dental health by making sure they are brushing and flossing and going twice a year to their dental exams and cleanings. Our policy is that a member must be cavity free and in good oral health to qualify for orthodontic services such as braces. We just want to make sure that our members' dental health is the best it can be!

Are you worried about your child's nutritional health-what they are eating, their activity level or their weight? Well, we want to help get your child on track to a healthy lifestyle!

SoonerCare pays for child and adult members to receive up to 6 hours of nutritional counseling per year by a licensed registered dietician. You just need a prescription from your 
physician, physician assistant, advanced practice nurse, or nurse midwife. For more information, please talk to your doctor today.

Signs and symptoms of strep throat can include:

•Throat pain that usually comes on quickly
•Painful swallowing
•Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus on back of throat or mouth
•Tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth (soft or hard palate)
•Swollen, tender lymph nodes in your neck
•Headache
•Rash
•Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children
•Body aches
•A fever (101°F or above)

Treatment: 

It's possible for you or your child to have many of these signs and symptoms but not have strep throat. The cause of these signs and symptoms could be from a viral infection or some other illness. That's why we encourage members to call their doctor so they can run tests specifically for strep throat.

Your doctor can test for strep by swabbing the throat to quickly see if you have strep or other illness. A strep test is needed to tell if you have strep throat; just looking at your throat is not enough to make a diagnosis. If the test is positive, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics.

Antibiotics reduce the length of time you’re sick and reduce your symptoms plus get you back on your feet. Remember, if you or your child start showing signs or symptoms, call your SoonerCare doctor right away!

Note: You can also use the tips above for preventing the flu to help prevent from getting strep throat or any other illness.

Did you know that this year, it is estimated that among United States women there will be 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer? 

OHCA urges SoonerCare members to not be a statistic and get breast cancer screenings. 

Whether it’s your sister, friend, your mom or even you, we know that you have someone in your life that has battled breast cancer. It affects so many lives everyday –it is the most common cancer among women in the U.S.(other than skin cancer) and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. 

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we have held many in-house fundraisers to raise money for the Susan B. Komen “Race for the Cure” because of the important role that organization plays in honoring those lives lost to the disease and for those who have breast cancer.  The Susan B. Komen Foundation’s research haS played a role in many of the advances that save lives from breast cancer today, and are relentlessly pursuing the answers that will save even more lives in the future.

We want to help in the fight against breast cancer so SoonerCare covers annual screenings and diagnostic mammograms for women eligible for SoonerCare Traditional or SoonerCare Choice.  There are no age restrictions. Contact your SoonerCare doctor and schedule your mammogram today!

Do you have a friend who is uninsured but needs to get a screening for breast and/or cervical cancer?

Another option for women who are uninsured to receive screenings for breast cancer and cervical cancer is the Oklahoma Cares program. 

If you are a woman between the ages of 19 and 64, meet income guidelines and areuninsured, you may be eligible for Oklahoma Cares. Woman must have already been diagnosed with or received an abnormal screening for breast or cervical cancer to qualify. Woman who have a precancerous condition may also qualify.

Qualified women will receive precancer, breast and cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as SoonerCare coverage that includes the full range of services (not only cancer treatment). To find out if you qualify for Oklahoma Cares, visit https://www.okhca.org/individuals.aspx?id=130 or call 866.550.5585.

In a way to save money and get you important information as soon as possible, we are very excited about taking some of our member communications digital like this newsletter. This will help us provide up-to-date information in a timely manner through a variety of ways including through our website (www.okhca.org), email, texting and social media. This will give you many ways to receive benefit and services information and other things like health tips, member FAQs and much more!

Members can change usernames and passwords to their account online instead of having to call the SoonerCare Helpline. If you need to enroll or renew online, you will be required to have an active email address. By providing an active email address, you can start receiving helpful information via email.

We will still be sending some member letters and information through the mail including important tax information, so always make sure you have a correct mailing address along with an email address on your account. Update your information by visiting www.mysoonercare.org. While you are updating your account information, make sure everything else is also correct- like your phone number. Be sure to always check back to our website for the most up-to-date information.

A sick visit focuses on why a child is sick at that time.  A well-child checkup allows the doctor to focus on your child’s overall health and well-being.

These checkups will include: health history, growth measurements, a developmental and behavioral check, blood pressure, lab tests (if needed) and much more.

These checkups are A way for your doctor to find problems with your child that you may not be aware of and catch them before they get worse. If your child has ongoing health needs, you and your doctor can discuss the plan of care.

One other great thing about a well-child checkup is a sports physical can be done at your well-child visit. Just bring your required sports medical forms to your doctor’s appointment.
 

To schedule a well-child checkup:
•You can call your child’s doctor at any time to schedule a well-child visit. 
•SoonerCare patients must call the doctor that they have chosen as their child’s primary care provider (PCP). 
•If you are not sure who your SoonerCare PCP is, you can call the SoonerCare Helpline at 800-987-7767.