New Mexico Health Connections | my connection | Fall 2016

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Get the
greatest benefit
from your
prescription
drug therapy
If you are taking prescription
drugs, it’s important for you to
take your medication consistently.
To help you do this, NMHC
partnered with OptumRx®, our
pharmacy benefit manager, to
launch a Medication Adherence
Program in October 2016.
You may receive calls or letters
as part of this program. During the
calls, you may have an option to
be transferred to your pharmacy
to ask for refills or to talk with
a pharmacist at OptumRx. If
you have questions about the
Medication Adherence Program,
please call customer service at
855-769-6642 .
Is it time for a Pap test?
Fall 2016
MY CONNECTION is published as a health and wellness service for the members of
NEW MEXICO HEALTH CONNECTIONS. Information comes from a wide range of medical experts.
If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health,
please contact your primary care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations.
2016 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. ID0423-0916
Find us online: Contact us:
Customer Service: 855-769-6642
info@mynmhc.org
Michelle McRuiz, editor
michelle.mcruiz@mynmhc.org
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Q I’ve heard about the HPV
vaccine. Who should get it?
A Ideally, girls and boys should
be vaccinated against human
papillomaviruses (HPVs) before
they become sexually active.
Here’s why:
The three vaccines currently
available—Cervarix, Gardasil
and Gardasil 9—can help prevent
infections from certain HPVs
that are passed from person to
person during sexual contact.
These HPVs are linked to genital
warts and several cancers, includ-
ing cancers of the cervix, vulva,
vagina, penis, throat and anus.
The vaccines may not work as
well, or at all, once someone is
infected with an HPV.
Vaccination is available for:
• Girls and women ages 9 to 26.
• Boys and men ages 9 to 26.
HPV vaccination is especially
important for girls. Widespread
vaccination could help prevent
about two-thirds of cervical
cancer deaths, saving thousands of
lives in the U.S. alone.
If you’re a parent, talk to your
child’s doctor about which vaccine
is best for your child and when he
or she should be vaccinated.
If you’re an adult, talk to your
doctor about whether vaccination
is right for you.
For NMHC members, the HPV vaccine, along with other
preventive vaccines, are available at no cost. You can
find additional preventive health information by visiting
our website, .
A Pap test is an important cancer screen-
ing test that every woman should
receive as part of her regular healthcare.
But really, you can think of this test as
something more—a tool for cancer prevention.
The test, which looks for cervical cancer, may also
find changes in the cells of the cervix that can be
treated before they turn into cancer. According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the num-
ber of American women who get
cervical cancer or die from it has
dropped sharply since the wide-
spread use of the Pap test.
What’s involved?
A Pap test is relatively sim-
ple and takes just a few
moments to complete.
It can be done during
a pelvic exam by your
primary care doctor
or obstetrician-
gynecologist.
While you lie on a table, the doctor uses an instru-
ment called a speculum to open your vagina. Then
some cells from your cervix are removed with the aid
of a brush or other tool. The cells are sent to a labora-
tory, where they are examined for abnormalities.
According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task
Force, how often you should have a Pap test depends
on your age and health history. It’s best to talk with
your doctor to set up a screening schedule that’s right
for you. In general, however, you should get tested:
• Every three years beginning at age 21.
• Every five years from age 30 if you combine a
Pap test with a test for the human papillomavirus
(HPV)—or every three years if HPV testing is
unavailable.
After age 65, testing may or may not be
recommended.
Contact your doctor to see if a Pap test should be
part of your next visit.
As an NMHC member, cervical cancer screen-
ings are available at no cost. You can find additional
preventive health information by visiting our website,
.
New to NMHC?
If you recently joined NMHC,
welcome! We have created a
page on our website just for
you that provides information
on many of the most common
questions new members have.
Visit www.mynmhc.org/new-
members.aspx to learn:
• Tips on finding a primary care
provider or other provider in
our network.
• How our medical manage-
ment programs can help you
with your chronic condition
or complex health needs.
• Where to find important
forms.
• How to take a short but
important survey that will
help us learn about any
specific health concerns you
may have.
• And much more!
Questions for the experts
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