Cha-may weeya
Medicine Talk
Siletz
Community
CHS Restricts Pharmacy
Annual $500 Limit for Retail Purchase
Unlimited Mail-In Distribution
Pharmacy costs reached a high in
2002 and will continue to increase
because of the rising cost of medications.
In an attempt to remain within our budget,
Contract Health Services (CHS) must
adjust the pharmacy benefits effective
Jan. 1, 2003.
The Siletz Tribe contracted with
Pequot Pharmaceutical Network, a
tribally owned business, in 1996 to
provide pharmacy benefits to tribal
members nationwide. Tribal members
living outside the 11-county service
area have a $500 pharmacy
benefit annually.
Distributing drugs from
the Pequot pharmacy in
Mashantucket, Conn., allows it to
dispense to other tribes or tribal
members at the federal supply schedule
price. This reduces the cost to CHS by
40 percent if the prescriptions are
mailed out. Restricting pharmacy to
mail out distribution will reduce costs
to the tribe.
Currently, we allow dispensing
from the retail market - Fred Meyer,
Rite Aid, and other providers in the
pharmacy business. CHS will allow
you to continue doing so, up to $500
annually, in cases of emergencies or
acute conditions. Asking your doctor to
write two prescriptions - one for now
and the other for mail-in for continued
use - will stretch your benefit amount.
If you have private insurance that
requires a co-pay, you can pay the co-pay
and mail your receipt to CHS for
reimbursement. Continuing to use the
Chemawa, Grand Ronde, or Siletz
pharmacies reduces costs to CHS.
These clinics should be used whenever
possible and this does not count against
your $500 limit.
If you feel more comfortable pick
ing up your prescriptions at the
Siletz Clinic and would like to
use it for your pharmacy needs,
please call 72 hours before pick
up. Call 1-800-648-0449
or 541-444-1030. This will
allow time to fill your
prescriptions.
You can receive mail-in envelopes
and information by calling Pequot
directly at 1-888-779-6638 or contact
the CHS department or your nearest
community health advocate in the area
offices for envelopes or with any other
questions you may have.
Your Pequot cards will be adjusted
for acute and emergency use; a $500
limit will be set for retail purchase. A
review and adjustment of the limit will
be done on an annual basis.
Please use your pharmacy benefit
wisely. If you spend your limit before the
annual review is complete, you may have
no recourse but to use mail-in from Pequot
or go to an IHS or tribal pharmacy.
Women of all ages join together for dinner, inspiration, and information
Health
Clinic
December Diabetes Dates
Dec. 18: Wellness Wednesday - Noon to 2 p.m., Admin lunchroom
Dec. 26: Diabetes Day
If you’re not current on any of these exams, call and make an appointment:
□Dental
□Medical
□Foot
□Testing Supplies
□ Diabetes Education
The eye doctor is at the Siletz Clinic every Monday. Make sure to get
your eyes checked annually!
Contact John Jasper or Laura Duarte (Bremner) at the Siletz Clinic,
541 -444-9611 or 541 -444-9671, or 1 -800-648-0449, ext. 611 or ext. 671.
TPEP Presents Profiles on Quitting
Shannon’s Story
by Shannon Chrisman
Growing up, practically my entire family smoked, or so it seemed. Of course,
when my parents were kids and young adults, they were just finding out about the
hazards of smoking.
The tobacco companies were at the pinnacle of their dishonesty campaigns,
claiming that it was all an attack on them. With that said - I basically grew up
with smoking as the norm in my family and in my town.
I was in about the sixth grade the first time I ever puffed a cigarette. I walked
in on my older cousins smoking and they told me I had to smoke one. Then since
they made me do that, I too would be in great trouble if I told. I don’t blame them
because at the time, I thought it was pretty gross.
I did experiment here and there with cigarettes from about the eighth grade
on. It seemed normal and it seemed a little cool. I always would just have a few. I
hardly smoked from grade nine through 12 because I wanted to play sports and I
could get kicked off the team for smoking.
By my junior and senior years, however, I would smoke occasionally in the
off-season and by the time I got to college, it was only on weekends. Then it was
parties, then the stress of finals, and then I just kept on smoking. When I finally
did quit for good about 10 years later, I was up to a pack a day.
I can’t remember how many times I tried to quit, about eight or so. I noticed
that my throat hurt and my smile wasn’t as bright as it could be because my teeth
were starting to turn yellow.
I especially noticed all the coughing! I couldn’t walk up a hill. Playing sports
was pretty brutal, although I kept on trying and pretended I was fine. I tried to go
hiking with my husband in Alaska and made it about 10 minutes before I had to
stop and turn around. I couldn’t breathe.
The last time I quit was because my husband and I wanted to have a child. It
was really hard at first, but when I found out I was having my daughter, the reality
set in. I knew I didn’t want to smoke while I was pregnant or raise my child in a
cloud of smoke. My husband had begged me for years to quit and finally I was
able to. It’s been almost five years now since I quit.
I stay quit for many reasons. It got easier as time went on. In recent years,
I’ve lost seven great aunts, uncles, and grandparents to illnesses from smoking.
I stay quit for my family, my daughter, and for me too. I wish I had never
started and I hope other young people will not waste their younger years with a
cigarette stuffed in their mouth. Quit now! Better yet, don’t ever start.
at the Women s Circle of Life Gathering held at the Siletz Tribal Community
Center on Nov. 6. The event was sponsored by the Oregon Breast &
Cervical Cancer Program.
26
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Siletz News
□
December 2002
TPEP note: If you would like to share your story, please contact the Tobacco
Prevention & Education Program at 541-444-1030 or 1-800-648-0449. What
you share can make a difference in someone else’s life. Thank you.