Value-Added Services

This program rewards members who engage in healthy behaviors with predetermined nominal dollar amounts. Members who complete plan determined healthy behaviors will receive a reloadable Visa card. This Visa card can only be used at participating retailers, such as Walmart and for additional options such as transportation, utilities, phone bills, education costs, child care and rent. This card does not allow for the purchase of tobacco, firearms, or alcohol. In addition to this, members may utilize this card for medical cost share. Should a member incur a copay for a non-emergent emergency department visit, they may use the card to pay for this copay.

The Flu Program is our annual flu prevention campaign that provides targeted outreach to you as a member. The program provides information about preventing transmission of the influenza virus by encouraging you to get the seasonal flu vaccines, taking everyday precautions to prevent illness, and what to do if a member (or family member) becomes ill. Additionally, you are able to obtain your flu vaccine at participating pharmacies subject to the age or other restrictions of the pharmacy.

Start Smart promotes education and communication between pregnant members and our case managers to ensure a healthy pregnancy and first year of life for their babies. Start Smart offers a range of care management techniques, including health screenings, educational literature and MP3 players with educational podcasts designed to extend the gestational period and reduce the risks of pregnancy complications, premature delivery, and infant disease which can result from high-risk pregnancies. The program provides educational materials as well as incentives for going to prenatal, postpartum, and wellchild visits. Other services provided include:

Start Smart Mobile. An interactive and personalized application for new and expecting mothers. Start Smart Mobile will provide support for Iowa Total Care’s pregnant members from the first positive pregnancy test through the post-partum and early newborn period. The mobile application helps families stay on track with key prevention milestones, set personalized reminders, identify and take action on health issues, and tap into Iowa Total Care’s other programs, such as, Care Management via phone and a 24/7 nurse advice line. Start Smart Mobile content is personalized based on expecting mother’s due date and provides daily advice and informational photos and videos by weekly pregnancy stage. Start Smart Mobile features a broad range of interactive tracking tools, self-service functions, alerts, educational videos, and resources. Using Start Smart Mobile, Members are able to access care and support quickly and efficiently, engage with self-service tools (i.e., gaps-in-care, set custom reminders and alerts), check their My Health Pays rewards balance, and interact with additional features (i.e., baby gift registry and name picker, local parenting classes, family planning tools and information to enroll their newborn in health coverage). Includes free gifts for qualified moms.

Start Smart® Baby Shower Program. Baby Showers are conducted in a classroom environment in different locations across the state to educate pregnant members about prenatal and postpartum care for themselves and their newborn. The classes cover the basics of prenatal care, including nutrition, the risk of smoking and benefits of smoking cessation, the progress of a fetus throughout pregnancy, the importance of regular follow-up with medical providers, common health issues that occur during pregnancy, and a review of the Start Smart® and MemberConnections programs.

MemberConnections® Community Health Workers (CHWs) allow us to provide a high touch, personal level of interaction with our members that builds strong relationships and trust. CHWs are hired from within the communities we serve to help ensure that our outreach is culturally competent and conducted by people who know the needs of the people in the community. CHWs receive comprehensive training, including CHW certification, and become an important part of our Member Services and Care Coordination staff, which benefits our members and increases our effectiveness. CHWs make home visits to high-risk members we cannot reach by phone, and will assist with member outreach, coordinate social services, and attend community events to provide health education and outreach.

Iowa Total Care offers the ConnectionsPlus® Program, which provides pre-programmed cell phones to our eligible high-risk members who lack reliable phone access, through SafeLink or through the plan if you do not qualify for a SafeLink phone. For example, if there are multiple members in the household. This program provides 24-hour access for our members, allowing them to make calls to and receive calls from their providers, case managers (including behavioral health case managers), peer supports (for members with behavioral health conditions), health plan personnel, our nurse advice line, and 911. The overall purpose of the program is to prevent events such as inappropriate ER use or hospital admissions through improved access to healthcare information and treating providers. High-risk members receive a cell phone (at no expense to the member) that has pre-programmed direct dial to important phone numbers. Members are educated on how to monitor their health and calling quickly for advice rather than waiting until the next appointment. The cell phones are also used so that case managers can send the member a text message with health information targeted to the individual member's condition. In rural areas, this program helps members more easily connect with their provider.

This benefit helps ensure that Iowa Total Care members receive needed preventive health check-ups. At these events, Iowa Total Care will partner with provider offices across the state to identify members who have missed certain preventive care visits. Iowa Total Care staff will then make contact with the member to encourage them to make an appointment for the needed service on a certain day set aside by the practice and assist with arranging transportation, interpretive services or other accommodations as needed.

Iowa Total Care cares about your health as much as you do. We want you to focus on the things that matter to you.

That is why we have partnered with Visiting Physicians Association (VPA) to provide Diabetes Monitoring Tests-- HgbA1c Kits--to members 18 years and older with a diagnosis of diabetes. The kit comes with items for sample collection, instructions, and a pre-paid envelope to return the test.

When you have diabetes, an A1c test can help you see how well you manage your blood sugar. The A1c test measures average blood sugar for the past two to three months. For best results, you should take the test at least twice a year.

The results that you receive will help you better manage your health. By completing it, you may also receive a $15 My Health Pays® reward.

Once you collect your sample, please return it right away in the pre-paid envelope. Once received, we will send the results to you and to your doctor.

To request a test kit, call Iowa Total Care Member Services at 1-833-404-1061 (TTY: 711). Kits may take 3-4 weeks to arrive.