The Fidelis Care Blog

Asthma and allergies can worsen with the warmer weather. Weeds, trees, grass, and other plants begin to bloom. They spread pollen and other allergens. Allergies are one of the most common chronic diseases. They are caused by the immune system’s reaction to allergens. Allergy symptoms happen when a person with an allergy comes into contact with the allergen. This can happen by touching, eating, or breathing in an allergen.

Today is National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This is a day to understand and protect our communities from the deadly threat of illegal fentanyl and counterfeit prescription pills. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is stronger than morphine and heroin. It is used to medically manage severe pain, often after surgery or for some cancer patients. Illegal fentanyl causes overdose deaths. It is often mixed with other drugs, making them more potent and dangerous. It’s important to know how to prevent an overdose, recognize signs of an overdose, and what life-saving measures are available.

Fidelis Care and nonprofit maternal health organization Mom Starts Here recently partnered to open a Baby Item Network supplies closet at the Fidelis Care Utica Community Office. It’s free to all Medicaid recipients.

Fidelis Care opened its 2025 Veggies to Go produce giveaway season by distributing more than 150 bags of fresh fruits and vegetables at events hosted by Genesee ACE Employment in Batavia on March 15 and the Watertown YMCA on March 26. Veggies to Go addresses nutrition and food insecurity in urban and rural communities across New York State.

Measles cases are on the rise in the United States and Canada. Getting vaccinated for measles and other infectious diseases is the best protection. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. Children should get two doses of the MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. If traveling, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends infants 6–11 months old receive an early dose of the MMR vaccine. The child will still need to get the two regular doses to be fully protected.

Fidelis Care is partnering with Healthmap Solutions (Healthmap) to provide care coordination services within our kidney health management (KHM) program.

Every year, during the first week of October, we celebrate National Primary Care Week. It’s a time to say “thank you” to the doctors, physician assistants, nurses, and healthcare teams that help keep us healthy every day

Mental Illness Awareness Week is a time to learn how mental health affects every part of our lives, including our physical health. People living with serious mental illness often face big challenges when it comes to staying healthy. Many don’t get regular checkups or see a doctor when they need to. This can lead to health problems that go unnoticed and untreated.

Effective November 1, 2025, Fidelis Care will begin outreaching for additional clinical information if a member remains hospitalized beyond seven (7) days. This outreach will initiate a concurrent review to assess medical necessity and support discharge planning activities.

The following sections of the Fidelis Care authorization grids have been updated effective November 1, 2025.