A Health Newsletter Serving the North Coast Schools Medical Insurance Group
Vol. 27, No. 6 | June 2019

In this Issue: JPA Notes | Food-Borne Illnesses | Recipe: Extra Crispy Veggie Pizza

JPA Notes

From the JPA Office

How Medicare works with other insurance

If you have Medicare and other health insurance or coverage, each type of coverage is called a “payer.” When there’s more than one payer, “coordination of benefits” rules decide which one pays first. The “primary payer” pays what it owes on your bills first, and then sends the rest to the “secondary payer” to pay. In some cases, there may also be a third payer.

What it means to pay primary/secondary

• The insurance that pays first (primary payer) pays up to the limits of its coverage.
• The one that pays second (secondary payer) only pays if there are costs the primary insurer didn’t cover.
• The secondary payer (which may be Medicare) may not pay all the uncovered costs.
• If your employer insurance is the secondary payer, you may need to enroll in Medicare Part B before your insurance will pay.

If the insurance company doesn’t pay the claim promptly (usually within 120 days), your doctor or other provider may bill Medicare. Medicare may make a conditional payment to pay the bill, and then later recover any payments the primary payer should’ve made.

Call the Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (BCRC) at 1-855-798-2627 (TTY: 1-855-797-2627) if:

• You have questions about who pays first
• Your insurance changes

I’m retired, 65 or older and have group health plan coverage from my former employer.

Generally, if you get your group health plan coverage through your own former employer:

• Medicare pays first for your health care bills.
• Your group health plan (retiree) coverage pays second.

Your spouse’s plan pays first and Medicare pays second if both of these apply:

• You retire but your spouse is still working.
• You’re covered by your spouse’s group health plan coverage. Your spouse’s employer must have 20 or more employees, or the employer must be part of a multi-employer plan or multiple employer plan.

Tell your doctor and other health care providers if you have coverage in addition to Medicare. This will help them send your bills to the correct payer to avoid delays.

Contacting Medicare

• Phone: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
• TTY: 1-877-486-2048

For specific billing questions and questions about your claims, medical records, or expenses, log into MyMedicare.gov, or call us at 1-800-MEDICARE.

If you want Medicare to be able to give your personal information to someone other than you, you need to fill out an “Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information.”

Call HICAP for free Medicare counseling at (800) 434-0222 or in Humboldt County (707) 444-3000 and Del Norte County (707) 434-7876.

Food Poisoning / Food-Borne Illnesses

Food poisoning (or foodborne illness) happens when you get sick from eating or drinking something that has harmful germs in it – like bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Some common causes of food poisoning are norovirus, Campylobacter, E. coli and Salmonella.

Following good habits like these can help protect you and your family from food poisoning:

• Wash your hands often with warm water and soap — especially before and after you touch food.
• Make sure food is cooked to a safe temperature.
• Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood away from food that is cooked or ready-to-eat, like raw vegetables.
• Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. This helps prevent bacteria from growing.

What causes food poisoning?

You can get food poisoning from eating bad (contaminated) food. Bacteria and viruses are the most common causes of food poisoning. These germs can get into food in several ways.

• Raw meat, poultry (like chicken and turkey), fish, vegetables, and fruit can pick up germs where they’re grown, packaged, or sold.
• Foods can also pick up germs at the store or in the kitchen. This can happen when you don’t wash your hands, utensils (like knives), cutting boards, or counters.
• If hot or cold food is left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, germs already in the food can multiply and become more dangerous.

How do I know if I have food poisoning?

Some signs of food poisoning include:

• Upset stomach
• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Fever

Signs of food poisoning can start hours, days, or even weeks after eating bad food. Usually the effects only last for 1 or 2 days, but they can last up to 2 weeks.

The treatment for most cases of food poisoning is to drink lots of fluids, like water. For a more serious illness, you may need treatment at a hospital.

When to see a doctor

Get medical help right away if you:

• Have a fever higher than
  101.5 °F
• Have blood in your vomit or in your stool
• Are throwing up many times a day for more than 2 days
• Can’t drink or keep down any liquids for 24 hours
• Have a very dry mouth
• Are peeing much less than usual
• Are feeling very weak, dizzy, or lightheaded
• Have diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days

Recipe of the Month:
Extra-Crispy Veggie Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 cup shaved zucchini strips (from 1 zucchini)

• 1 (5-oz.) thin whole-wheat pizza crust 

• 1/4 cup refrigerated basil pesto

• 2 1/2 ounces halloumi or feta cheese, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)

• 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1 (2-oz.) pkg. baby spring mix (about 4 cups)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with oven rack in top position. Stir together vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in zucchini; let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place pizza crust on a baking sheet; spread pesto over crust. Sprinkle cheese evenly over pesto, and top with tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Bake on top rack at 400°F until slightly crispy, about 6 minutes. Turn broiler to high, and broil until cheese is bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool 2 minutes.

3. Add baby spring mix, onion, and basil to zucchini mixture; toss to combine. Arrange salad mixture evenly over pizza. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut into 8 slices; serve immediately.

Source: https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/extra-crispy-veggie-packed-pizza