Stay informed with the Summer 2026 Member Newsletter, featuring seasonal health tips, preventive care guidance, plan updates, and helpful resources to support your health and well-being.
NOW healthy
Breathe Easy This Summer Summer can be hard for people with asthma and other breathing problems. There are many asthma triggers, such as:
Pollen
Mold
Air pollution
Heat
Humidity
Smoke
You can help control asthma by getting the right care and avoiding triggers. Here are some tips for summer: • C heck the air quality and pollen report before you go outside. If smoke or pollution is high, stay inside if you can. • K eep windows closed on days with lots of pollen, especially when it is dry and windy.
• Take your daily asthma medication as your healthcare provider tells you. • Keep your rescue inhaler close by if your provider says you should have one.
Make an asthma action plan with your provider so you know what to do if symptoms get worse. If you care for a child with asthma, watch for signs that it is getting worse. If your child coughs more, wheezes, feels short of breath, or needs rescue medication more often, talk to a provider. Do not wait until it becomes an emergency.
Looking for a primary care provider in your area? Our Find a Doctor online tool can help. Visit fideliscare.org/findadoctor to get started.
It's easy to use our Member Portal! Log in to the Member Portal at members.fideliscare.org to order member ID cards, change your PCP, see your claims history, and more!
Questions? Fidelis Care is here to help! Call us today at: 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547), TTY: 711.
IN THIS ISSUE
• Stay steady on your feet
• Eye, ear and dental care
• Manage your diabetes
FIDELIS CARE MEMBER NEWSLETTER • SUMMER 2026
Mental Health Checkups Matter Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. One simple step you can take is a depression screening. It is a short list of questions that helps your healthcare provider understand how you are feeling. These screenings are often part of a yearly checkup and only take a few minutes. They can show if you may need more help. Depression is more than feeling sad for a short time. It can affect your mood, energy, sleep, appetite, school,
work, and daily life. Screenings are recommended starting at age 12. If you are a parent or caregiver, ask your child’s doctor about a depression screening at their next visit. Also watch for changes in mood, behavior, sleep, or interests. Speak up if something seems different. If a screening shows that you or your child may need more help, follow your provider’s advice. If you need to find a mental health provider, you may be able to access a professional online; see our Virtual Benefits page. To learn more, visit our Behavioral Health Resources webpage.
Stay Steady on Your Feet, and Get Help if You Fall A fall can change daily life very quickly, especially for older adults or people with long-term health needs. Preventing falls is important. Getting help after a fall matters too. You can take simple steps to help prevent falls at home: • Keep walkways clear. Move clutter and loose rugs that could make you trip. • Make sure your home has good lighting, especially in hallways, stairs, and bathrooms. • Wear shoes that fit well and support your feet. Do not wear clothes that drag on the floor. • If you use a cane, walker, or other device, make sure you use it the right way. It also helps to talk with your provider about medications that may make you dizzy. Tell them if you have trouble with balance, walking, seeing, or hearing. If you fall at home, a personal emergency response system, or PERS, can help you call for help fast. This can help you and your caregivers feel safer. You may also need help getting better after a fall. Physical therapy, or PT, can help with strength, balance, and safe movement. Occupational therapy, or OT, can help you do daily tasks more safely and lower the chance of another fall. Your provider can help plan for care, home support, or therapy.
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Eye, Ear, and Dental Checkups Regular vision, hearing, and dental checkups can help find problems early and make daily life easier. Eye checkups matter because changes in vision can affect school, work, driving, reading, and safety at home. Hearing checks are also important, especially if you hear ringing, have trouble following conversation, or need to turn up the volume more than you used to. Small hearing changes can be easy to miss, but they still matter. Dental visits help keep your teeth and gums healthy. Regular cleanings can help stop gum disease. Dentists can find cavities early before they get worse. Good nutrition also helps protect your teeth. Eating a balanced diet and limiting sugary drinks and snacks can lower the risk of cavities. Preventive services such as fluoride treatments and dental sealants can help protect teeth, especially for children. Ask your dentist about preventive care for you or your child. Many Fidelis Care plans include dental and vision benefits. Preventive care may also include vision and hearing screenings. If it has been more than a year since your last checkup, it’s time to make an appointment. Keeping up with these checkups can support your health and help you get care sooner.
Regular Care Helps Manage Diabetes Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects how your body uses sugar for energy. When blood sugar stays too high, it can harm your eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and feet over time. If you have diabetes, it’s important to take care of yourself and see your healthcare provider regularly to catch problems early. Keep your visits with your provider and take your medication the way your provider tells you. It also helps to eat healthy foods, stay active, and check your blood sugar if your provider recommends it.
People with diabetes often need regular preventive tests. These tests can help find changes before they become serious. They might include: • A1C test • Eye exam • Foot exam • Lab work • Blood pressure check If you have questions about diabetes care or need help making an appointment, talk with your healthcare provider. If you are a parent or caregiver of a child with diabetes, ask your child’s provider what follow-up care and screenings are needed.
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HIV Testing and Care HIV care has improved a lot. Knowing your status is an important part of protecting your health. HIV harms the body’s immune system. If it is not treated, it can lead to AIDS. The good news is that treatment can help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. It can also lower the chance of passing HIV to others.
HIV can spread through certain bodily fluids. It can spread through sex, sharing needles, or during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. You can help prevent HIV by: • Using a new condom every time you have sex • Never sharing needles • Talking with a healthcare provider about medications that can help prevent HIV, such as PrEP or PEP • Asking about testing if you may be at higher risk If you think you were exposed to HIV or want to learn more about testing, talk with your healthcare provider. Early testing and treatment can make a big difference. Help for Domestic Violence Domestic violence is a serious health and safety issue. It is not always physical. It can also include threats, insults, control of money or healthcare, or keeping someone away from family, friends, work, or school. If any of this is happening to you, it is not your fault. Some people live with domestic violence for a long time before asking for help. You do not have to go through it alone. Fidelis Care may be able to help you find housing, transportation, legal information, emergency child care, and safety planning. Reaching out can be the first step toward safety and support. Help is a Phone Call Away • Fidelis Care care managers can help. Call 1-800-247-1441 (TTY: 711) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• New York State Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-942-6906 • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) In an emergency, call 911.
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Know the Signs of TB and Other Illnesses Tuberculosis, or TB, is an infection that usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. TB spreads through the air when a person who is sick breathes out germs by coughing, sneezing, or even talking. Being around someone with TB for a long time can raise your risk of getting sick too. Signs of TB can include a cough that lasts more than three weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood, night sweats, and weight loss. If you think you were exposed to TB, talk with your healthcare provider about getting tested. Your health plan may also cover testing for children who are at higher risk. In general, you can take simple steps to help protect yourself and others from diseases that spread from one person to another by:
Washing your hands
Keeping up to date on vaccines
Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze
Staying home when you’re sick
Watching for symptoms and getting care when needed can help protect you and the people around you.
Make Sure We Can Reach You With Important Updates It’s always a good idea to make sure we know how to contact you so you don’t miss notices about your coverage. This may be especially important in coming months, as Medicaid rules change for some members. Please make sure Fidelis Care, NY State of Health, or your county’s Local Department of Social Services has your current phone number, email address, and mailing address. If you enrolled in your health insurance through NY State of Health, learn how to update your contact information at their Reporting Changes page. If you enrolled in Medicaid with your county's Local Department of Social Services, contact that office to update your information.
Fidelis Care complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Fidelis Care cumple con las leyes federales de derechos civiles aplicables y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad o sexo. Fidelis Care 遵守適用的聯邦民權法律規定，不因種族、膚色、民族血統、年齡、殘障或性別而歧視任何人。 ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-888-343-3547 (TTY: 711). 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服 務。請致電 1-888-343-3547 (TTY: 711) 。 The content provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have questions about your health, please talk to your doctor. Call 1-888-FIDELIS or visit fideliscare.org
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