As a non-profit Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), we cover Berks, Upper Bucks, Carbon, Northern Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties. Through relationships with Third-Party Administrators (TPA's), insurance carriers, and insurance brokers, employer groups can access our valuable services. Our services include: medical and case management; a comprehensive network of credentialed physicians, hospitals, and ancillary facilities, wellness and disease management programs, short-term disability case management, and Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN), a statewide PPO network.
National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
Asthma is a disease that affects your lungs. Asthma causes repeated episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing. If you have asthma, you have it all the time, but only have attacks if something bothers your lungs.
An asthma attack can occur when exposed to things in the environment, such as tobacco smoke, dust mites, air pollution, pets, and mold. Other triggers include respiratory infections, allergies, strenuous activity, and strong emotions. Learn your personal triggers so you can avoid whenever possible.
Control your asthma by taking your medicines as prescribed and avoiding triggers. Asthma medications come in two types; quick-relief and long-term control. Quick-relief medications control the symptoms of an attack. If you need to use these medications more frequently, see your doctor. Long-term control medications help you have fewer and milder attacks, but do not help during an attack.
Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to substances called allergens. Allergies are bothersome, but can also be severe and even fatal. With proper management, allergies can be controlled. Allergens can get into the body in several ways: inhaled, eaten, injected (medications & insect bites), and absorbed through the skin. Tests to discover your allergens include a skin test, patch test, or blood test. The skin test is the most accurate and least expensive test, the patch test shows contact allergies, and the blood test is used when a skin condition or medication might interfere with the skin test.
There are three different types of treatment for allergies: avoiding your allergens, medication options such as antihistamines and decongestants, and immunotherapy (allergy shots). There are simple things you can do to prevent allergies: dust and vacuum often to reduce surface dust mites, reduce pet dander by avoiding certain types of animals or at least keeping your pet out of the bedroom, use an air filter and change it often, and use a dehumidifier to reduce mold.
The Quality Choice
Berkshire Health Partners (BHP) is a premier provider-directed, consumer-oriented PPO plan. more...
Mission
BHP's mission is to provide our community with cost effective, quality healthcare.
We strive to be the most successful provider-directed, PPO in our service area. Medicus, A Health & Lifestyle Management Company provides the medical management and administrative support necessary to ensure the long-term success of the provider network and our customers.
Maximize your Health Plan Performance
BHP maximizes health plan performance by giving you control over costs through flexible plan designs, wellness and disease management programs, and partnerships with healthcare providers.