Managing your health can be different for everyone. We’re here to support you. The more you and your care team know about what matters to you, the better we can work together to make the best decisions about your health.
Need a referral?
If you or a family member are interested in any of the programs below, fill out our Wellness Programs Referral Form to get started. Your eligibility for wellness programs depends on your health plan and your individual needs. For help, contact your Care Manager/Care Coordinator or call our Member and Recipient Service Line at 1-800-962-9003.
Chronic conditions
A chronic condition is a health condition that lasts for a year or more and requires ongoing care. Examples include diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure (hypertension). Intellectual/developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries are also considered chronic conditions.
Chronic conditions usually can’t be cured, but they can be managed with treatment and lifestyle changes. People with some chronic conditions may need to take medication regularly. Changes with eating or exercise habits can also make a positive difference for some chronic conditions.
Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but they are not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. People with prediabetes are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Many people with prediabetes don’t know they have it.
Take the online 60-second Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test from the American Diabetes Association to find out if you are at risk.
The good news is that prediabetes can be reversed. We can connect you to programs that help with healthy eating habits, ways to reduce stress, and how to increase your physical activity. Talk to your Care Manager or Care Coordinator for more information.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It means your body does not respond to the hormone insulin properly and causes high blood sugar. Everyone with type 2 diabetes should focus on a healthy diet and plenty of exercise to manage their blood sugar, and some with diabetes may need medication.
Learning how to self-manage diabetes is key to staying healthy. Your Care Manager or Care Coordinator can connect you to nurses who can help you learn how to monitor your blood sugar, understand symptoms, and use medications as prescribed. Your care team can work with you to create a plan to lower your blood sugar levels. The plan may also include tips for healthy food choices, setting physical activity goals, and learning coping skills for when you feel stressed or overwhelmed.
The American Diabetes Association has additional resources and learning guides for living with type 2 diabetes, including how to eat healthy and plan meals.
There isn’t a cure for asthma yet, but there are strategies and treatments for managing it. Our asthma management program helps you learn how to control your asthma and prevent attacks.
An asthma action plan is a document that helps you understand how to control your asthma. It can include information to help you identify your asthma triggers, steps to take if your symptoms get worse, medications to help, and more.
Your Care Manager/Care Coordinator and doctor can work with you to develop an asthma action plan. Talk to your Care Manager or Care Coordinator to learn more.
If you have high blood pressure, you’re not alone. Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure or take medication to treat it.
Vaya can help you understand more about high blood pressure and steps you can take to lower yours. From taking your medications as prescribed to adding exercise to your daily routine, we can provide support for lifestyle changes that keep you healthy.
The American Heart Association provides interactive resources and helpful tools on their website, like a blood pressure tracker.
Intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) are differences in cognitive and/or physical development that impact a person’s ability to learn, reason, or problem-solve and result in challenges in everyday life. Most of these conditions begin at birth, but they can begin anytime during childhood. They have a variety of causes, including injury, infection, genetic disorders, and more. Although we sometimes focus on limitations, people with I/DD all have unique strengths and abilities and can contribute to their community, if given the opportunity.
Vaya supports people with I/DD to live where they choose, spend their day the way they want, be part of their community, and be more independent. Learn more about the services and supports available to you by reading your Member Handbook or Recipient Handbook.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a chronic condition that affects how the brain works. A TBI is caused by bumps or blows to the head or other blunt force trauma. People with a TBI may experience physical, cognitive, and/or behavioral health challenges.
Vaya offers services and supports for individuals with TBI. Learn more by reading your Member Handbook or Recipient Handbook.
Infectious diseases
Infectious diseases (illnesses) are caused by germs like viruses or bacteria. Some infectious diseases spread when someone coughs or sneezes. They can lead to serious health problems. The more we know about infectious diseases, the better we can understand how to prevent getting and spreading them.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. People with COVID-19 usually experience symptoms similar to a cold or the flu, such as fever, chills, sore throat, shortness of breath, congestion, and body aches. The disease spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets that contain the virus and those particles are breathed in by another person or land on their eyes, nose, or mouth.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides guidance to lower your risk of catching and spreading respiratory illnesses and to lower the risk of severe illness if you get sick.
Influenza (flu) is an illness caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. People who have the flu often experience high fevers, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches, and tiredness. The symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Influenza is different from the “stomach flu,” also known as viral gastroenteritis, which affects the intestines and causes symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and sometimes a low-grade fever. It is usually not as serious as the flu and usually resolves on its own.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services offers up-to-date information about seasonal influenza activity, as well as guidance for lowering your risk of getting the flu.
HCV is a virus that causes a liver infection. If untreated, the infection leads to liver failure, also known as cirrhosis. It is one of the most common reasons for chronic liver disease. HCV spreads through contact, including shared injection needles, sexual contact, and passing from an pregnant person to an infant during childbirth. Hepatitis C often becomes chronic (long-term) and requires treatment, which can cure the infection completely. Without treatment, it can lead to serious health problems, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Most people with HCV have no symptoms until late stages of infection. If symptoms occur, they are non-specific and include fatigue (tiredness), sore muscles, joint or stomach pain, and (less commonly) dark urine or yellowish eyes and skin (jaundice). Because not everyone will have symptoms, the CDC recommends everyone age 18 and older get tested at least once in their lifetime. People who currently inject drugs or medication should get tested regularly, at least every six to 12 months. People who are pregnant should be tested during each pregnancy, regardless of risk factors.
Although there is no vaccine to prevent getting the virus, there are treatments that can cure HCV that are available to NC Medicaid beneficiaries.
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, making it harder to fight infections. HIV is passed from person to person through certain bodily fluids. It is most commonly transmitted through sex or by sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment used to inject drugs or medications. It can also be passed from pregnant people to their infants during childbirth. HIV cannot spread through saliva, sweat, tears, or sexual activity that doesn’t involve the exchange of bodily fluids.
HIV may begin with non-specific, flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, or muscle aches, but the majority of people with HIV have no symptoms at all. Medication can be taken to stop HIV from getting worse. People who do not receive treatment for HIV may develop acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
There is no cure for HIV. However, with proper treatment, people with HIV can manage the virus. They can live a long, healthy life and eliminate the risk of spreading the infection.
HIV can affect anyone, but certain factors can put some people at higher risk than others. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. The CDC recommends testing at least once for everyone between the ages of 13 and 64. People at higher risk should get tested at least once a year.
HIV can affect anyone, but certain factors put some people at higher risk than others. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. The CDC recommends testing at least once for everyone between ages of 13 and 64. People at higher risk should get tested at least once a year.
People at higher risk include:
- Black individuals
- People who use injection drugs
- Men who have sex with men
- People with a previous diagnosis of syphilis, gonorrhea, and/or chlamydia
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
Did you know there are safe and highly effective medicines you can take to prevent HIV? There are two oral medicines and two long-acting injection medicines you can take for PrEP. All forms of PrEP are covered for NC Medicaid beneficiaries. To learn more, ask your provider about starting PrEP. You can get more information on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services PrEP website.
If you want to know your HIV status, talk to your provider or care team about getting tested. For information on the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program or other supports available to you, contact your Care Manager or Care Coordinator.
HIV resources
- Learn more about HIV (CDC)
- HIV Risk Reduction Tool
- North Carolina HIV/AIDS Hotline: 919-361-8488
- CDC National Hotline: 1-800-232-4636
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) refer to bacteria, a virus, fungus, or parasite spread through sexual contact. People of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations commonly experience STIs. Often, the infection has no symptoms and can be detected only with regular testing.
Consistent and correct condom use during sexual activity decreases the risk of STI transmission, including for HIV and hepatitis C.
If you are pregnant, it is especially important to be tested for STIs. Many of these infections can negatively affect your pregnancy, even causing pre-term delivery or miscarriage.
North Carolina Local Health Departments offer free and confidential STI screening and clinical services. Find your local health department here. You can also visit the CDC Get Tested website to find other free and confidential sites for testing.
Gonorrhea/Chlamydia
Gonorrhea and chlamydia are bacterial infections that can affect the genitals, rectum, and throat. They are very common, especially in people ages 15-24, and can cause serious health problems, even without symptoms.
If symptoms are present, they may feel like a bladder infection and include a painful or burning sensation when peeing and vaginal or penile discharge. If untreated, these conditions can cause infertility or difficulty getting pregnant.
These infections are cured with antibiotics. If you test positive, it’s important to inform your partner(s) so they can also get tested and treated, too.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection and develops over stages. Signs and symptoms can be subtle and easily missed. It can be cured with antibiotics. Left untreated, it can cause serious health issues, including dementia and heart problems. In North Carolina, cases of syphilis have increased by 547% between 2012 and 2022.
If untreated during pregnancy, syphilis can be passed from mother to baby and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death. It can also cause lifelong health issues for the child, including deformed bones, deafness, blindness, and severe anemia. If you are pregnant, you should be tested for syphilis three times: at the first prenatal visit, between 28-30 weeks gestation, and at the time of delivery.
Learn more about symptoms of syphilis on the CDC website.
Genital herpes
Genital herpes is caused by the herpes virus, either herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) or herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2). Antiviral medicines can help treat symptoms and lower the risk of spreading the virus to partners. There is no cure for this infection.
Most people with genital herpes have no symptoms or mild symptoms. It can start as a painful blister or cluster of blisters and easily can be mistaken for an ingrown hair or pimples. Flu-like symptoms (including fever, fatigue, and body aches) can occur with the first outbreak. Other symptoms can include burning with urination or discharge from the vagina or penis.
Pregnant people can pass the virus to their baby during birth, which can cause a serious life-threatening infection to the child. It is important to share your history with your doctors for early detection and treatment. Learn more about herpes on the CDC website.
Human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection. There are different types of HPV, including ones that cause genital warts and others that cause cancer, including cervical cancer and throat cancer. The HPV vaccine provides excellent protection from both genital warts and HPV-associated cancers.
Routine cervical cancer screening in women, also known as a “pap smear,” is an important tool to detect pre-cancer cells and screen for high-risk HPV. Pre-cancer cells can be removed through treatment and prevent the disease from becoming cancer. Cervical cancer screenings should begin at age 21.
Learn more about HPV on the CDC website.
