Florida Blue

Kids hate to get shots, but …
Don’t wait to take your child to a doctor when he or she is sick. Preventive care is just as important to your child’s health. That’s why many of our plans cover well-child care. This includes well-child checkups and recommended immunizations. A complete list of recommended childhood and adolescent immunizations is available on our website.

Each year more than 13,000 young people are diagnosed with type 1, or juvenile, diabetes. But type 2 diabetes (a disease usually diagnosed in adults ages 40 years or older) has been reported among U.S. children and adolescents with increasing frequency during the last two decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.

In type 1, the pancreas makes no insulin. In type 2, insulin production is too low or ineffectual. Obesity and lack of physical activity among young people, as well as exposure to diabetes in utero, the CDC says, may be major contributors to the increase in type 2 diabetes during childhood and adolescence. Children with type 2 diabetes may have no symptoms or mild symptoms, so it can be difficult to diagnose.

If your child is overweight and your family has a history of type 2 diabetes, learn the facts about the risks. Visit our website to download a brochure, “Type 2 Diabetes: Obesity and Your Child.” And check out the body mass index chart for children on the CDC’s website.

If your child has diabetes, our website includes a link to Children with Diabetes, an online support network for kids, families and adults with diabetes.

We want you to stay well. That’s why we offer an adult wellness benefit. It helps cover expenses such as an annual physical or gynecological exam, including family planning/ contraceptive services and wellness services related to annual checkups, such as Pap tests, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, X-rays, laboratory services and immunizations.

Because we want to make sure you take advantage of these adult wellness benefits, these services are not subject to your individual calendaryear deductible. You’ll pay only your regular office visit copayment or applicable coinsurance.

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With one in every nine women getting breast cancer, having a regular screening mammogram is essential. You should get a baseline mammogram at age 35 or later; one every other year once you reach 40; and an annual mammogram from age 50 on. And don’t forget to do monthly breast self-exams.

In Florida, 1.4 million residents have diabetes. And nearly one-third of them don’t know it. Floridians of African-American or Hispanic descent are particularly at risk. They’re almost twice as likely as Caucasians to develop diabetes over their lifetimes.*

To heighten awareness of the danger of diabetes and what can be done to reduce everyone’s risk, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida has launched a Diabetes Multicultural Outreach Program. Offered in conjunction with Health Dialog^® (see “Get answers,”), the program informs you—in either English or Spanish:

Take the interactive risk assessment on our website to help determine your relative risk of developing diabetes. You can then obtain immediate counseling based on your assessment results by calling a Health Dialog health coach toll free at (800) 789-2583. You also can request an ethnic cookbook to help you maintain a healthful diet based on your food preferences.

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Click on Members, Health & Wellness, Health Programs, Chronic Disease Management, Diabetes Awareness

As health problems develop, it can be harder to gain control of our medical care. But, you don’t have to struggle with complex medical needs. We can help you make informed health care choices based on both your needs and health plan benefits when you are dealing with complex or catastrophic illnesses. Our nurses reach out to members who meet the criteria for extra help. An experienced registered nurse (R.N.) will work with you, your family, health care providers and community organizations to maximize your health care experience. The nurse will evaluate your care while you are receiving it, get involved with discharge planning if you are hospitalized and help coordinate the services you need. Call it one-stop service—your one point of contact to help you navigate the health care system.

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Click on Members, Health & Wellness, Health Programs, Personal Case Management

If you are a caretaker for a parent on Medicare or are approaching 65 yourself, you should know about Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. It is available for people enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or Part B. The deadline for current Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in a prescription drug plan without paying a penalty was May 15, unless they have, on average, coverage at least as good as Medicare Part D from another plan. The penalty is a premium increase of 1 percent for every month after May 15 in which they were eligible but did not enroll.

The next enrollment period begins Nov. 15, 2006. If your eligible parents haven’t enrolled, encourage them to do so this fall.

The benefits of our BlueScript^® plans are designed to meet the needs of Florida residents—needs we’ve been meeting for more than 60 years. Our BlueScript plans also cover a wide range of drugs. And with our open formulary, we will cover prescribed medications beneficiaries are currently using even if they aren’t on our formulary. BlueScript for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries is just our latest offering for Medicare beneficiaries. We offer seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries a variety of health insurance plans, including Medicare HMOs and PPOs.

Approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) contracts with the federal government to administer the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug benefit in the state of Florida. This contract is renewed annually and availability of coverage beyond the end of the current contract year is not guaranteed.

Your privacy is our concern
Our HIPAA-AS* Privacy Notice explains how we may use and disclose your protected health information for treatment, payment and health care operations. You may obtain a copy of our HIPAA-AS Privacy Notice by calling customer service at the telephone number on your health plan ID card or by visiting www.bcbsfl.com.

*Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-Administrative Simplification