Great Expectations Diabetes
Diabetes
Great Expectations® for Diabetes helps you learn how to manage your diabetes better. We educate you about how to reduce your risk of getting complications and improve your quality of life. All BlueChoice HealthPlan members with diabetes are eligible to participate in the diabetes program. We automatically enroll all eligible members at no charge. Ready to get started? Review the diabetes guide for information to help you take charge of your diabetes.
You also have access to:
- For our highest-risk members, we provide telephone counseling by staff members who include certified diabetes educators, registered dietitians, nurses and health educators. All members are welcome to call us with their questions about diabetes, or their coverage for diabetes services, medications and supplies.
- Members with diabetes who have a history of diabetes-related foot or leg issues may qualify for diabetic shoes or inserts.To learn more, contact customer service by calling the number on the back of your member ID card.
What You Need To Do To Stay Healthy
Diabetes can affect many aspects of your life. It can lead to some serious health problems. By working with your health care team, you can stay as healthy as possible.
Visit your personal physician at least twice a year. At each visit, he or she should check:
- Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) — This blood test measures your blood sugar control over the last three months. It should be checked at least twice a year (more often if out of control). A healthy A1c is 7 percent or lower.
- High blood pressure is more common in people with diabetes. It should be measured at every visit. Your blood pressure should be 140/80 or below.
- Foot care is especially important when you have diabetes. Always take your shoes and socks off as soon as you go into the exam room, to remind your doctor to examine your feet at every office visit.
At least once each year you should have:
- A urine test for early kidney disease. You should know your kidney count.
- A dilated eye exam. Diabetic eye disease is the leading cause of blindness in adults.
- A blood test to check your lipid (cholesterol) profile. This is important because diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle:
- Take all of your medications as prescribed by your personal physician.
- Exercise regularly. Be sure and check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
- Maintain a healthy diet and a healthy weight. If you need help with losing weight, check out the resources available through Great Expectations® for Weight Management.
- Quit smoking. If you smoke and also have diabetes, you are more likely to develop life-threatening complications. Learn about Great Expectations® for Tobacco Cessation.
To enroll in a Great Expectations® program or for more information about care management and access to helpful resources, log in to My Health Toolkit and select Health and Wellness then Health Coaching. You can also call us at 855-838-5897.
Other Helpful Links
American Diabetes Association
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
This page references independent companies that provide health information on behalf of BlueChoice HealthPlan. Some links on this page lead to third party websites. Those parties are solely responsible for the contents and privacy policies on their sites.