July 24, 2019
Even though it may seem like summer just started, we know that the first day of school will be coming soon. Taking some steps now to get ready in advance of the school year can help your children get off to a happier and healthier start.
School-age children
Schedule your appointment online to get a detailed checkup and make sure that your child’s immunizations are up to date. If your child participates in sports, a physical is usually required. You can also schedule your sport physicals and concussion baseline assessments with any Tier 1 Ascension provider – to find a Tier 1 provider, visit mysmarthealth.org.
In addition, a child’s mental health is important to consider when getting ready to go back to school. Many children can become nervous or scared about the return to school if they have a new school, teacher or classroom. It may be helpful to introduce your child to their new environment ahead of time and to discuss any worries or concerns they may have about the upcoming school year.
As you get closer to the start of school, your kids may also need to get back into a healthy sleep routine. By sticking with a consistent bedtime every night, it will help your child fall asleep more easily and be more refreshed to take on the school day. Not getting enough sleep is associated with lower academic achievement as well as difficulty concentrating. The amount of sleep that your child needs may surprise you with the recommended amount of sleep for preschoolers needing 10 to 13 hours, grade-schoolers needing 9 to 12 hours and teens needing 8 to 10 hours.
College-age children
Help make sure that your college-age children are also ready for any health needs while away at school. Look up the closest in-network provider, urgent care and hospital and give that information to your child before they leave for college. If they are covered by your SmartHealth medical plan, find out whether their on-campus clinic is included in the National Network Tier 2 or is out-of-network. Provider directories are available on mysmarthealth.org. Identifying providers in advance can help your child easily choose the right care if they need it while away from home.
Your child can also get access to their benefits information by downloading the ABS app which will enable them to access a digital copy of their ID card and provide them with information about their plan.
If your dependent is living away from the primary subscriber’s home while at school and they are more than 50 miles away from a Ascension Network Tier 1 facility, you can fill out the Benefit Elevation Request Form for Dependents to have Tier 2 services covered at the Ascension Network Tier 1 level, after the form has been approved. Fill out this form as soon as possible for your dependents, as requests for benefit elevation must be submitted and approved prior to services be rendered. Benefits already provided will not be authorized retroactively.
Download the ABS mobile app today for your ios™ or Android™ device.
