Medicare Patients Choose Bluestem Health

At Bluestem Health, we welcome all patients, including those with Medicare insurance. Our commitment is to provide you with easily accessible, high-quality, integrated health services when and where you need them.

DO YOU KNOW IF YOU QUALIFY FOR MEDICARE INSURANCE?

According to medicare.gov, Medicare is the federal health insurance program for:

• People who are 65 or older
• Certain younger people with disabilities
• People with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD)

There are several Medicare health insurance options. Our patient support specialists at Bluestem Health can answer any Medicare questions that you may have. We want you to know that we value our Medicare patients and we have five locations for you to choose from. All of them accept Medicare insurance.

WHAT MEDICARE PATIENTS CAN EXPECT AT BLUESTEM HEALTH

Bluestem Health providers follow a “health home” model of care and our Medicare patients will benefit greatly from this model. What is a health home? It is not a physical space; it is a group of healthcare and service providers working together to make sure our Medicare patients get the care and services needed to stay healthy. Our approach is to integrate and coordinate all primary and acute care, chronic disease management, behavioral health, and long-term services and support as we treat the whole person.

MEDICARE INSURANCE AND PREVENTIVE CARE

Our priority at Bluestem Health is to keep our patients healthy, so we place a significant emphasis on preventive healthcare. Medicare Part B covers many screenings so you can always be on top of your health.

According to medicare.gov, the following screenings are covered by Medicare:

PREVENTIVE AND SCREENING SERVICES

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening
• Alcohol misuse screenings & counseling
• Bone mass measurements (bone density)
• Cardiovascular disease screenings
• Cardiovascular disease (behavioral therapy)
• Cervical & vaginal cancer screening
• Colorectal cancer screenings
  • Multi-target stool DNA tests
  • Screening barium enemas
  • Screening colonoscopies
  • Screening fecal occult blood tests
  • Screening flexible sigmoidoscopies
• Depression screenings
• Diabetes screenings
• Diabetes self-management training
• Glaucoma tests
• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection screening
• Hepatitis C screening test
• HIV screening
• Lung cancer screening
• Mammograms (screening)
• Nutrition therapy services
• Obesity screenings & counseling
• One-time “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit
• Prostate cancer screenings
• Sexually transmitted infections screening & counseling
• Shots:
  • Flu shots
  • Hepatitis B shots
  • Pneumococcal shots
• Tobacco use cessation counseling
• Yearly “Wellness” visit

NAVIGATING MEDICARE INSURANCE

We understand that your health needs are unique and that you may require a variety of services throughout your lifetime. At Bluestem Health, we involve you as we develop your plan of care. We know how difficult and stressful it can be to navigate Medicare and the healthcare system. We make every effort to ensure you are connected to a multidisciplinary team of experienced and dedicated healthcare providers, mental health and substance abuse providers, along with needed medications, social services, and other community programs that can support and assist you.

COST-EFFICIENT QUALITY CARE AND MEDICARE

As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), we use the highest standards in the care we provide to anyone in our community. Bluestem Health works diligently to offer its services cost-efficiently so that healthcare is affordable for our patients.

CONVENIENT ACCESS TO CARE

There are five locations in Lincoln where our patients can access the care they need and use their Medicare insurance:

• Medical / Dental: Main Clinic, 1021 N. 27th St.
• Medical: Thompson Clinic, 2222 S. 16th St.
• Medical: Kreshel Clinic, 3100 N. 14th St.
• Medical / Behavioral Health: Health 360, 2301 O St.
• Patient Support Services / Diabetes Education: Administration Office, 2246 O St.

RESOURCES BEYOND THE USUAL

Bluestem Health provides our patients with resources and community events far beyond healthcare services. We have a dedicated team that will work with you to find additional community services, including assistance in applying for resources such as Medicaid, SNAP, ADC, and Open Enrollment through the Health Insurance Exchange. A partnership with Legal Aid of Nebraska connects patients with legal assistance.

To serve Lincoln’s diverse population, we also employ a staff of interpreters that provide in-person interpretation services rather than communicating over the phone, which can dramatically improve a patient’s experience during their healthcare visit. In addition to English, our interpreters are fluent in Spanish, Arabic, Kurdish, Karen, Burmese, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language.

Bluestem Health is here to help you with your Medicare questions and to connect you with a provider that will give you the best possible care. Connect with us at (402) 476-1455.