The Fidelis Care Blog

October is Health Literacy Month. Health literacy helps you understand health information so you can make good choices about your well-being.

There are two parts of health literacy:

1. Health Literacy: Knowing how to get, understand, and use information to make good choices about your health.
2. Healthcare Literacy: Understanding how the healthcare system works, including knowing about insurance, medical terms, and treatment options.

Fidelis Care is dedicated to ensuring our members understand how they can work with their provider to make the most of their benefits and take care of their health.

Our website hosts helpful tools to improve health literacy:

• Health Insurance Terms Explained: Learn what copay, deductible, and other healthcare terms mean
• Member How-to Videos: Watch videos to learn how to easily access your care
• Understand Your Benefits: Find out how your health insurance works, including plan basics and what services are covered
• Health Resources: Visit our online library to learn about health topics and illnesses
• Healthwise: Videos and articles from our partner cover many health issues, including fitness, mental health, nutrition, and more.

Another way Fidelis Care helps to improve health literacy is by having staff who can talk to you in your preferred language. Members of our team speak 29 different languages, from Spanish to Urdu, and can explain health insurance coverage and benefits in an understandable way, tailored to the individual.

We also know it’s important to meet people face to face. Fidelis Care has more than 20 community offices across the state. Our StreetSide RVs and vans travel around the state to meet members and answer their questions.

Income, education, and location can affect people’s ability to understand health-related topics. Fidelis Care works with everyone to give them the same chance to be healthy. For example, Wellcare Fidelis Dual Plus is a Medicaid Advantage Plus program where Care Managers work closely with members who qualify to plan out their care and understand options available to them.

Our Care Managers also support members in our Health and Recovery Plan (HARP), Managed Long Term Care (MLTC), Dual Advantage Plan, as well as members with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, behavioral health issues, and HIV.

Health literacy helps individuals - especially those who may need extra care and assistance - with understanding their personal health and wellness, as well as the support and resources that are available. Fidelis Care is here to help.