Health: Appointments, Insurance and Medication Labels (CASAS Competency 3)
The Health area tests health literacy: making and keeping appointments, using an insurance card, following prescription and over-the-counter label instructions, describing symptoms, reading nutrition and warning labels, completing patient forms, and deciding where to go for care.
Core rules and concepts
- Appointments: arriving early, the 24-hour cancellation rule, bringing the insurance card and medication list, and asking for an interpreter, which is a right rather than a favor.
- Insurance card fields: member ID, group number, plan name, primary care provider (PCP), co-pay, and whether a provider is in-network.
- Prescription labels: dose (how much), route (by mouth, topical), frequency (every 6 hours), duration (for 10 days), quantity, refills remaining, and warnings such as take with food, avoid alcohol, may cause drowsiness, finish all medication.
- Over-the-counter labels: active ingredient, strength, maximum daily dose, and the warning not to combine two products with the same active ingredient.
- Level of care: 911 or the emergency room for chest pain, trouble breathing or severe bleeding; urgent care for a sprain or high fever; the clinic for routine care; the pharmacy for refills and questions.
Worked example
The label reads: 'Take 2 tablets by mouth every 6 hours as needed for pain. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.' What is the maximum number of doses in one day, and when may the next dose be taken after two tablets at 8:00 a.m.? Reasoning: 8 tablets divided by 2 tablets per dose gives 4 doses; 24 hours divided by 6 hours also gives 4 doses, so the two checks agree. Six hours after 8:00 a.m. is 2:00 p.m., so a dose at noon would break the interval even though it stays under the daily limit.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing brand and generic names, or two products that share an active ingredient.
- Ignoring 'as needed' versus 'every day' when asked how long a supply will last.
- Choosing the emergency room for a problem the item clearly places in a clinic or urgent care.
- Missing a warning line such as do not drive or take on an empty stomach.