Heart & Circulatory Conditions

Heart and circulatory system problems are a leading cause of death in the United States. These conditions are a significant cause of disability for Americans and can also be quite costly (the estimated direct and indirect cost of cardio-vascular disease was $475.3 billion last year). Millions of Americans are living with heart- and circulatory-related diseases such as:

• High blood pressure
• Coronary heart disease
• Heart attack
• Angina (chest pain caused by reduced blood supply to the heart)
• Stroke
• Heart Failure

The good news is that it’s never too late to begin working on keeping your heart healthy so you can reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Medical studies have identified risk factors that you can modify or control to reduce these risks. They include things like not using tobacco products, exercising, reducing your cholesterol level, and controlling weight. Other controllable factors are stress and excess alcohol consumption.

Network Health Plan participants can learn more about heart diseases by visiting our Health Information Library, powered by WebMD. There they will find a more in-depth descriptions of strategies for being heart-healthy. If you are a Network Health Plan participant, sign in to My Account and then click on Heath Information Library to get started.

How Care Management Can Help

Network Health Plan’s goal is to improve the quality of life for members who are diagnosed with heart or circulatory diseases. We want to help them to avoid or delay complications and we educate them on how they can take better care of themselves. Network Health Plan participants who are newly diagnosed with heart or circulatory system conditions are automatically enrolled in our care management program. 

They receive an initial call from our Care Management team shortly after their diagnosis.  During this phone call, we discuss:

• The participant’s current health status as well as their health and wellness goals
• Testing and monitoring that will help them maintain good health and avoid complications
• Accessing additional services such as classes, nurse case management services, local diabetes community support program, etc.
• Screening for depression, which sometimes affects those who are newly-diagnosed
• Educational resources
• Tobacco Cessation Program information, if applicable
• The importance of Flu Shot or Pneumococcal vaccinations
• Other areas such as taking medications as prescribed, reducing dietary intake of salt, and being aware of and telling their health provider about their ongoing symptoms

Future follow up phone calls from our nurse care managers are encouraged, and during the initial phone we determine the participant’s willingness to participate in this free service. In addition to phone calls, we also send mailings that are designed to keep our members with heart and circulatory conditions informed and educated about their condition.

Participants who are considered high risk due to their health condition also may receive additional mailings and services that will help them get healthier by working with our nurse care managers to maintain a proper diet, take medications correctly, and exercise.