Learning Center

WPS is more than your insurance company—we’re a valuable resource and good-health partner to you and your family. That’s why we’ve assembled this collection of tools and resources to help you make better, more informed health care choices.

From decoding complicated insurance jargon and finding an in-network doctor to controlling health care costs and determining which health screenings are right for you, the following links will connect you to the information and interactive tools you need to more effectively manage your family’s health and wellness.

Medicare

Medicare Changes 2012: Five Things You Need to Know
Medicare changes every year. This free guide details five important changes coming to Medicare in 2012, including a new, earlier Annual Enrollment Period—plus tips to help seniors make wise coverage decisions and a list of resources people on Medicare can consult for more information.

Health Insurance 101

Stay Healthy, Save Money with Preventive Services Covered at 100% Under Health Care Reform
Preventive health care—including annual physical exams, screenings, and immunizations—is essential to good health.
Health Insurance 101: Is COBRA the Best Option for People Between Jobs?

It’s a question many unemployed Wisconsin residents ask themselves each year: Should I continue paying for health insurance through my former employer’s group health plan (COBRA or state continuation), or should I buy an individual health plan from a private insurance company?
How to meet your health goals: Tips from a Wellness Coach

Whether you’d like to get fit, lose weight, quit smoking, or manage stress, you need a good plan if you are to achieve your health and wellness goals.
Tips for Finding a Primary Care Doctor

Everyone needs a good doctor—an experienced and compassionate caretaker who can help you protect your good health, and help you return to health after an illness or injury. But how do you find a good doctor , and how do you know when you’ve found the right one for you?
How to Make the Most of Every Doctor Visit

Whether you see your doctor once a year for an annual checkup or more often to manage a chronic condition, it’s important to make the most of every visit. By partnering with your doctor and being proactive about your health, you can feel more informed, more confident about your health care decisions, and more satisfied with the care you receive.
Here, you’ll find helpful tips for things you can do before, during, and after your appointments to maximize the value of every visit.
Provider Networks Explained

One of the most basic and important concepts in the world of health care and insurance is the provider network. A provider network is made up of the doctors, hospitals, clinics, and other health care professionals and facilities that a health plan contracts with to offer services at reduced costs.
What is an HSA-qualified Health Plan and How Can It Benefit Me?
One of the fastest-growing types of health plans is the high-deductible health plan tied to a tax-free health savings account (HSA) that you own and control. These plans can lower your premium, reduce your income taxes, and help you save money for future medical expenses, tax-free. Is an HSA-qualified health plan for you? Click through to find out.
Understanding Common Terms and Definitions
Premiums. Deductibles. Coordination of Benefits. Sometimes, the language of health insurance is hard to understand. Here, you’ll find plain-English definitions for 33 of the most commonly used insurance terms—to increase your health insurance I.Q. and help you make smart decisions that will benefit you and your family.
Getting the Most from Your Health Plan
Having the right health coverage is important. Yet it’s only one part of an effective overall strategy for good health. Here, you’ll learn proactive ways to protect your health and your family’s health—from contacting WPS Member Services to gain a better understanding of your health plan, to keeping records of illnesses and medications, to wellness tips, and more.
How to Find a Preferred (In-network) Provider
The best time to find a doctor is before you really need one. Use this easy tool to find doctors that participate in your plan’s provider network—saving you money and giving you prompt access to quality care.
What is an Explanation of Benefits and How Do I Read It?
Your EOB gives you information on how an insurance claim was paid. Here, we break down the anatomy of an EOB, piece by piece, to help you understand how your WPS health plan is working for you.
What Do These Codes On My Explanation of Benefits Mean?
See six of the most common claim codes that may appear on your EOB—and find out what you need to do if you see them.

Controlling Costs

Better Care at Lower Costs
Taking an active role in your health care is the best way to ensure that you receive great care at lower costs. Here, we’ll help you identify important questions to ask yourself—and your doctor. Such as, “Should I have a test to diagnose a health problem?” “Should I have surgery or take medication to treat a problem?” “When is it an emergency?” “Should I see a specialist?” and more.
Urgent Care or Emergency Room?
Emergency rooms are for life-threatening situations that demand immediate treatment. Fortunately, most health problems are not emergencies. You can save time—and often, money—by using one of the many urgent care clinics available to you through your health plan. Here, you’ll learn tips to help you prepare for and prevent medical emergencies, as well as the types of injuries and illnesses that are appropriate for urgent care, and which require a trip to the ER.
Reducing Medication Costs
With the costs of medication skyrocketing, it’s important to be on the lookout for ways to get the best value for your health care dollar. In this section, you’ll learn simple but effective strategies to help lower your prescription drug costs, from making healthy lifestyle changes and choosing generic alternatives to smart tips for shopping around.

Prevention

Preventing Medical Errors: What You Can Do
According to the Institute of Medicine, as many as 44,000 to 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year as the result of medical errors. That’s more than the annual death toll from car accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS. In this section, you’ll learn about the many types of medical errors and discover strategies you can use to help prevent errors while you’re in the hospital, before you have surgery, and with your medication.
Which Health Screenings Do You Need?
A health screening is a test (usually fast and painless) to find out if you have a specific disease or medical condition. Screenings are vital to good health because the sooner your doctor identifies a problem, the better the chance of curing or managing it. This interactive tool asks a series of questions and presents a list of screenings you may need based on your health and health history.

Making Wise Health Decisions

Ask-the-Doctor Checklist
Your doctor is an invaluable resource. So make the most of each doctor’s visit by preparing a list of questions and information about your concerns, symptoms, and medications. In this section, you’ll find helpful lists of things you can do before, during, and after your appointments to maximize the value of every visit.
Find a Doctor Who Will Be a Partner
Choosing the right primary care physician is one of the most important decisions you can make. A doctor you know and trust, who is available when you need him or her, and who will work with you as a true partner, is a great asset at any age. Here, you’ll discover the three most important questions to ask a prospective new doctor to ensure the one you choose is the one that’s right for you.
Smart Decisions: Know Your Options
Throughout your life, you have to make health decisions for yourself and your family. These decisions are important because they influence not only your well-being, but the quality and cost of your care. So what can you do to ensure your decisions are wise ones? Here, you’ll find checklists and interactive tools that will guide you through key health decisions, combining current medical information with your personal information to help you make the best decisions for you.
Healthwise Self-Care Checklist
Good health is our most valuable asset. And each of us is ultimately responsible for the health care decisions we make—or don’t make—every day. That’s why it’s so important to take a proactive approach. In this section, you’ll find four simple checklists that will help you create an effective action plan when health problems occur.
Caregiver Tips
If you’ve ever cared for a chronically ill or disabled spouse, parent, or other family member, you know how rewarding it can be—and how demanding. In this section, you’ll learn why taking care of yourself is your most important step as a caregiver (and tips for doing so); how to help the person you’re caring for to feel as independent as possible; and how to ask for help. Finally, you’ll find links to other organizations that support caregivers with education and services.
Writing an Advance Directive
An advance directive is a document that tells your family and your doctor the kinds of medical care you want if you’re badly hurt or have a serious illness that keeps you from speaking for yourself. There are two main types of advance directives: a living will and a medical power of attorney. Here, we’ll explain both types and the steps for writing an advance directive. This section also includes interactive Decision Points tools to help you make difficult end-of-life care choices, as well as links to other organizations with information and resources for writing an advance directive.