Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management program
Health checks
Every year, ask your doctor about these wellness checks. You may need some of them more than once a year.
- Update your COPD action plan
- Take a spirometry test
- Monitor your weight
- Get a flu shot
Also, check with your doctor to see if your vaccines are up to date, iuncluding your pneumonia shot and your combined tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a disease of the lungs. Although COPD may include many different lung diseases, the most common are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Our COPD program is part of our Disease Management program. We want to help you understand COPD and learn how to live well with it.
Managing COPD
With COPD, the lung passages thicken and narrow, and you experience increased mucus (phlegm) and more coughing. By following your treatment plan, there’s a lot you can do to live well. You can manage your condition and work with your primary care physician to:
- Create a personal action plan (PDF)
- Use medicines correctly, whether you’re taking a short- or long-acting medicine (If you use an inhaler, our inhaler record (PDF) can help you track when to get a new inhaler.)
- Avoid, reduce or eliminate personal COPD triggers
- Quit smoking
Other Resources
- American Lung Association
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
- NIH Senior Health
- New York Online Access to Health
Contact our Disease Management department
To talk with a Disease Management nurse, call us at 1-800-392-4247, TTY 1-800-257-9980 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Log in to Member Secure Services and click the Health and Wellness tab for more health resources, including in-depth information about these conditions.
NCQA Accreditation: Excellent NCQA Accreditation: Excellent
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page modified 09/23/2011