5 common barriers to good health — and how an Aetna® D-SNP can help you overcome them

Good health isn’t just the result of good genes and following doctor’s orders. Other lifestyle factors such as eating a healthy diet and living in a safe place are proving to be just as important.

The less access you have to these things, the higher your odds of developing a chronic condition or other illness. That's why they are called social determinants of health (SDOH).

If factors like these are getting in the way of your well-being, take heart: There are resources out there that can help. At the top of the list: your Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP.

Your Aetna D-SNP includes both Medicare and Medicaid benefits, along with additional benefits and services to eligible members. Those added benefits are designed to help you deal with everyday roadblocks to wellness.

Keep reading to learn more about common obstacles to good health and how your D-SNP can help you overcome them.

Health obstacle: Unsafe housing

No home is perfect. But sometimes home feels more stressful than it should. Maybe your apartment is overcrowded, or your street feels unsafe. Perhaps the water or air in your area is polluted. Or maybe you struggle to afford the rent.

The stress that comes with having to worry about these things impacts your health. Over time, an unhealthy living situation can lead to illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.*

How your Aetna D-SNP can help: Many D-SNPs provide resources to help members find safer housing. For example, D-SNP members have a personal care team. This team can help connect you with local programs for safe housing.

Health obstacle: High food costs

It’s hard to eat healthy foods like fruits and veggies when you can’t find them at your local grocery store. Or maybe you can find them, but they cost too much. This might mean relying on less expensive, processed foods.

Unfortunately, these foods tend to be higher in unhealthy fats and added sugars. They can drain your energy and memory. And they can raise your risk of chronic illness.*

How your Aetna D-SNP can help: All Aetna D-SNP members have a monthly benefit amount (allowance) on the Extra Benefits Card to help pay for healthy food. Here are some examples of approved healthy foods:

• Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables
• Healthy grains like bread and pasta
• Meat and seafood
• Pantry staples, and more

Having healthy foods at home makes it easier to prepare meals that are good for you. And using your allowance to help buy them means you’re saving money for other things you need to stay well.

Remember: Your Extra Benefits Card is here to help you save on everyday expenses. Heading to the grocery store? See how your card can help you pay for select healthy foods while you’re there. Watch our video.

Health obstacle: Lack of social support

Positive relationships can boost your physical and mental health. That’s true if it’s a trusted family member, a long-time neighbor or a new friend at the senior center. All meaningful connections, big or small, can benefit your well-being.

On the other hand, feeling alone or isolated can raise stress levels and harm your health. Research links social isolation with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, depression and more.* Unfortunately, it’s more likely among older adults and people living with health issues like chronic illness or hearing loss.

How your Aetna D-SNP can help: Aetna D-SNP members have a personal care team. The care team can answer questions, help coordinate care and access to local resources and more.

Aetna D-SNP members also have a basic membership to the SilverSneakers® fitness program. It includes access to both online and in-person fitness classes of all levels at participating locations.

Have a health question after hours? Aetna D-SNP members can call the 24-Hour Nurse Line anytime at 1-866-409-1221 (TTY: 711) to talk to a registered nurse.

Health obstacle: High-cost health care

Tens of millions of Americans have inadequate or unaffordable health care. In fact, over 27 million people in the U.S. don’t have health insurance at all.* It’s easy to see how that can get in the way of feeling your best.

The cost of an Aetna D-SNP varies between plans. But it is very low or may even be no cost. And the plans come with coverage beyond medical. Your Aetna D-SNP also includes prescription drug coverage with a $0 copay for covered Part D drugs at in-network pharmacies. Dental, vision and hearing coverage is also included.

Want help paying for healthy foods?

Take advantage of all the ways your Extra Benefits Card can help you pay for the things you need to stay healthy and well.

Check it out

Check it out

Health obstacle: No access to digital services and tools

People have plenty of reasons for missing in-person doctor visits. No transportation. Not enough time. Not well enough to leave home. But what if you could get the care you needed without making the trip to your doctor’s office?

If your plan covers telehealth services, you can. Telehealth lets you talk to your health care provider by video or phone call from the comfort of your own couch. These visits can be just as effective as an in-person visit.

In fact, access to digital health services can be considered a super determinant of health, says Tanisha Hill, MPH. She’s the president of the Digital Health for Equitable Health Alliance. “It can also improve drug adherence and help predict disease outbreaks.”

How your Aetna D-SNP can help: With an Aetna D-SNP, telehealth services are covered for minor health complaints from in-network physicians anytime, anywhere. There is no additional cost for covered telehealth services. They include:*

• Primary care provider (PCP) services
• Mental health services
• Diabetes self-management training services

Telehealth services help Aetna D-SNPs meet members where they are. When you’re able to stop worrying about access to quality health care, you can focus on taking the next best steps to feel your best.

Your Member Services team is here to help. Call them to learn more about what your D-SNP plan can do for you. They can be reached at 1-866-409-1221 (TTY: 711) between 8 AM and 8 PM local time, Monday through Friday. Learn more.

*FOR HEALTH RISKS OF UNHEALTHY LIVING SITUATIONS: Bhat AC, Almeida DM, Fenelon A, et al. A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between housing insecurity and physical health among midlife and aging adults in the United States. SSM – Population Health. June 2022, 18, pp: 101128.

*FOR RENT OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE: Not all plans offer rent or mortgage assistance.

*FOR PROCESSED FOODS AND HEALTH RISKS: Ziso D, Chun OK and Puglisi MJ. Environment: a review of mixed methods intervention studies with residents of low-income communities. Nutrients. May 29, 2022; 14(11), pp: 2278.

*FOR TRANSPORATION AND MEDICAL CARE: Oluyede L, Cochran AL, Prunkl L, et al. Unpacking transportation barriers and facilitators to accessing health care: interviews with care coordinators. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives. March 2022 13, pp: 100565.

*FOR LONELINESS AND HEALTH RISKS: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Loneliness and social isolation linked to serious health conditions. April 29, 2021. Accessed May 10, 2024.

*FOR UNINSURED STATISTIC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. uninsured rate dropped 18% during pandemic. May 16, 2023. Accessed May 29, 2024.

*FOR TELEHEALTH SERVICES: Not all providers offer telehealth services.

See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area.

This material is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Health information programs provide general health information and are not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician or other health care professional. Contact a health care professional with any questions or concerns about specific health care needs. Providers are independent contractors and are not agents of Aetna. Provider participation may change without notice. Aetna is not a provider of health care services and, therefore, cannot guarantee any results or outcomes. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change. Information is believed to be accurate as of the production date; however, it is subject to change. For more information about Aetna plans, refer to our website. Participating health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change. 

If your plan’s Extra Benefits Card includes roll over, any unused amount will rollover into the next month. The monthly amount can be rolled over through the end of the plan year but will not carry over into the next plan year. SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. ©2024 Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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