January 2019
Welcome
Happy New Year from ActivStyle! As we look forward to the promise of 2019, the team at ActivStyle is honored and excited to work with you. We appreciate that you trust your clients’ medical supply needs to us. We are here to help you and your clients as a full-service provider of high-quality, medical grade supplies for at-home use. We offer a wide variety of products including diapers, protective underwear, bladder control products, catheters, ostomy supplies, nutritional supplements, and more for adults and children.
Medicaid News
California’s Single-Purchaser System for Medications
Reuters reported that within hours of taking office as governor of the state of Califorinia, Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that would allow California to directly negotiate with drug manufacturers, a plan that could dramatically reshape the way prescription drugs are acquired and paid for in California.
In the executive order, Governor Newsom directed California officials to set up the nation’s largest single-purchaser system for prescription drugs. The order directed Medi-Cal (California’s version of Medicaid), with 13 million recipients, to negotiate all prescription drug prices. The order also changed recipient’s benefits from a managed-care, or HMO approach, to one that allows the state to handle all the purchases. The executive order also paves the way for private companies and other governmental agencies (including those that purchase drugs for state workers and prisoners) to participate in the process of negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.
Mr. Newsom’s decision underscores how strongly the issue of drug costs resonate with both politicians and citizens. Americans consistently rank the cost of medications as one of their biggest health care concerns.
Read the full article from Reuters
FAQs
Q: What is a waiver and why do states use them?
A: A Medicaid waiver is a provision in Medicaid law which allows the federal government to waive rules that usually apply to the Medicaid program. A waiver will allow Medicaid recipients to receive services that they normally would not under the standard Medicaid program.
Q: Does everyone on Medical Assistance (MA) qualify for a MA-Waiver program?
A: No. An individual may only qualify for a MA-Waiver program if you have disability-based MA. Many people get income-based MA, not disability-based MA, and those people cannot apply for MA-Waiver programs. If you get MA and are not sure whether it is based on your disability, check or contact your local county human services agency.
Even if you get disability-based MA, that does not mean you will qualify for a MA-Waiver program. There are specific eligibility criteria for each MA-Waiver program. Being on disability-based Medical Assistance (MA) or Medical Assistance Employment for Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) is just one of those criteria..
Q: Are there income and asset limits for MA-Waiver programs?
A: There are no income or asset limits for MA-Waiver programs, but individuals must stay eligible for disability-based Medical Assistance (MA) or Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) to keep their waiver eligibility. If they exceed the income or asset limits for MA or MA-EPD, they’ll lose their MA-Waiver services.
We want to hear what FAQ topics you are interested in seeing! If you have questions or suggestions for future FAQs, please email us at .
If you have other questions for the ActivStyle staff, feel free to give us a call at 855-373-5141, Monday thru Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Central Time. We want to make your life easy, so you can provide the best service and information to those you serve.
Health News
4 Tips for the Incontinent
Of the more than 27 million Americans who suffer from incontinence, more than 18 million are women and about 7 million are men. While one might think that incontinence only affects older individuals, it is important to note that it affects people of all ages. Many suffer alone because it is an embarrassing topic to discuss with family, friends, or health care providers.
At ActivStyle, we believe that knowledge is power. Below are helpful tips for helping your client better manage their incontinence.
- Understand what incontinence is – The best way to manage a condition is to understand it. Learn what causes incontinence and how it affects the client on a daily basis. Make sure that your client has expert advice from a healthcare professional for guidance on treatment and products available to effectively manage their incontinence.
- Monitor the diet – While changes to one’s diet cannot cure incontinence, it can affect how he or she experiences it. For urinary incontinence, it is important to stay away from alcoholic beverages, spicy foods, carbonated beverages, coffee, tea, fruit or citrus juices. If dealing with bowel incontinence, constipation caused by hemorrhoids can be improved by adding foods high in fiber to the diet and increasing intake of fluids. If the fecal incontinence is caused by diarrhea, it is recommended to avoid some dairy products, coffee, specific sweeteners, alcohol, fatty and greasy foods, some fruits, and spicy foods.
- Maintain good hygiene – To avoid smells and damage to your client’s skin, it is good practice to stay as hygienic as possible. Caregivers should always wear disposable gloves. Make sure to wash hands afterwards, even if you used disposable gloves. Wash the skin in the area of the void with warm water and apply a barrier cream to the skin afterwards. This helps prevent skin irritation. Dispose of used pads or diapers in the appropriate garbage receptacle.
- Know when to see a healthcare professional – It is advised to seek medical attention when: 1) There is sudden bed wetting or complete loss of urinary control. 2) The individual has trouble or inability to urinate. 3) Chronic constipation is observed. 4) The individual has diarrhea that lasts more than 24 hours. 5) A skin rash is present and it does not respond positively to proper hygiene or barrier creams.
For your clients with incontinence, remember that ActivStyle is here to help with high-quality incontinence products to help your clients live life with dignity. Feel free to call one of our Provider Services representatives toll-free at 855-373-5141, they’ll be happy to talk with you and answer any questions you may have about our products, services, or take a referral over the phone. You may also quickly and conveniently make client or patient referrals online.
Working with ActivStyle
Wouldn’t it be great if you spent less time mired in case-related paperwork and details and more time helping those who need you? ActivStyle is a full-service provider of high-quality, high-value home medical supplies serving thousands of practitioners and case managers across the United States. Our product expertise and knowledge of constantly changing state and federal regulations allow us to give you — and the clients who depend on you — the level of service you need and deserve.
Founded in 1997 in Minneapolis, MN, ActivStyle has grown to over 200 employees compassionately serving patients in 47 states with their medical supply needs. Specializing in incontinence, urological, and ostomy supplies, our trained Product Experts are available to discuss product options, insurance benefits, free delivery, or product samples. Feel free to call one of our Provider Services representatives toll-free at 855-373-5141, they’ll be happy to talk with you and answer any questions you may have about our products, services, or take a referral over the phone. You may also conveniently make client or patient referrals online.
At ActivStyle, we’re dedicated to making your life easier.
