New Mexico Health Connections | my connection | Summer 2016

2 / 4

Pain medications called
opioids are often used to
treat moderate to severe
pain. Examples of opioid
drugs include morphine, hydroco-
done, oxycodone, methadone and
fentanyl. These drugs are available
only by prescription. They can be
very effective, but they also come
with health risks.
Since 1999, overdose deaths
from the use of opioids (which
includes both prescription opioids
and heroin) have, roughly, qua-
drupled. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) has
stated that the United States is hav-
ing an opioid overdose epidemic.1
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and the CDC recently pub-
lished guidelines and action plans to
“I’mon awinning team”
Dominic Gonzales
had never been
insured in his adult
life before he joined
New Mexico Health Connec-
tions (NMHC). But as he learned
about the tax penalties of remain-
ing uninsured, he figured it would
cost him less to buy coverage and
chose a silver HMO plan.
Fourteen days after his cover-
age became effective, Gonzales, a
rancher in northern New Mexico,
fell. He developed a subdural
hematoma—a pooling of blood
between the covering and the
surface of the brain. Subdural he-
matomas can cause serious brain
injury, even death. Emergency
surgery at CHRISTUS St. Vin-
cent Regional Medical Center in
Santa Fe saved Gonzales’ life.
But that wasn’t the end of
Colorectal
cancer
Say yes to a test
There might be a
thousand things
you’d rather do than
get screened for colorectal
cancer.
But if you’re age 50 to 75,
it’s time to say yes to a test.
Why? Consider:
1. Colorectal cancer is the
second leading cancer killer
in the U.S. Getting screened
helps you avoid becoming
part of that statistic.
2. Screening can spot cancer
early, when it’s easiest
to treat. If you wait for
symptoms to develop, the
disease is likely to be in an
advanced state.
3. Screening may prevent
cancer. That’s because
most cases of colorectal
cancer start as a growth
(polyp) inside the colon.
Some screening tests allow
a doctor to find and remove
these growths before they
become cancerous.
4. Colorectal cancer can run
in families. If your test
reveals polyps or cancer,
your children or other close
relatives may be at a higher
risk for the disease. Knowing
that, they may choose to
get screened sooner than
age 50, which can reduce
their chances of developing
the disease.
All of our plans cover
colorectal cancer screening
at no cost. Contact Customer
Service to learn more about
your benefits and for assistance
finding an in-network provider
at 877-775-0287 or on our
website,
You can learn more about
other preventive screenings
in A.D.A.M., our multimedia
learning tool that can help
you understand and manage
your health better. Visit
to learn more.
We are interested in learning
more about you, your health
and how we can ensure you
are getting the recommended
care you need. Please visit
this link to take a short
survey on colorectal cancer
screening:
clinicalscreening.
Sources: American Cancer Society; Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; Healthfinder.gov
his health problems. During
his presurgery workup, doctors
discovered that Gonzales had
leukemia. Fortunately, it is a
slow-growing type that has been
responding well to treatment.
Having two major health scares
at once was overwhelming for
Gonzales, but NMHC helped him
make sense of his coverage and
care. After leaving the hospital, he
began receiving our case manage-
ment services.
Carmen Meyer, RN, Lead Case
Manager, “has been wonderful,”
Gonzales says. “She’s very help-
ful when it comes to things like
how to follow up with doctors,
what questions to ask. She puts the
information out there and lets me
decide for myself; she doesn’t tell
me what to do. And she talks to me
on a level that makes sense to me.”
Throughout his membership
with NMHC, Gonzales has been
a fan and has even convinced oth-
ers to choose NMHC.
“What first impressed me is
that NMHC is local,” he says. “I
could walk into the office at al-
most any time if I needed to. I’ve
always had good luck with getting
someone to answer my questions.”
And he was impressed with the
number of people who signed up
with NMHC. “Seeing the market
share NMHC got statewide after
that first sign-up period, I thought,
‘I’m on a winning team.’”
More than anything, Gonzales
is glad to be back to his routine on
the ranch. “My health insurance
helped me get my life back. My
friends and family were there for
me, but my insurance was right
along with me.”
Preventing
prescription
opioid overdose
address this public health issue.1,2
Before taking opioids, talk to
your doctor about your options.
Ask if there are other things you
could do to treat your pain, such as
exercise or physical therapy.
Ask if there are other types of
drugs that may be effective for
your pain. These might include
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAID), such as aspirin,
ibuprofen and naproxen. Certain
antidepressants may help also.
If you are considering taking
opioids or are currently taking an
opioid:
• Follow the directions on your
prescription. Do not take more
than prescribed or more often
than prescribed.
• Whenever possible, take the
medication for only a short pe-
riod of time. For an acute injury,
this may mean only a few days.
• Talk with your doctor about any
other drugs you are taking, such
as:
––Sleep aids.
––Muscle relaxers.
––Anxiety drugs.
––Other opioid drugs.
––Homeopathic or herbal
products.
• Tell your doctor if you drink
alcohol.
• Follow up with your doctor on
a regular basis. Tell him or her
about any unpleasant side effects
from the opioids.
1 www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/patients.
html
2 www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/factsheets/
ucm484714.htm
RANCHER IS GRATEFUL FOR NMHC COVERAGE
Dominic
and his
grandson
check on
the cattle.
2 { MY CONNECTION }
{ W E L L N E S S }