Blue Review
A Provider Publication

July 2022

Help Your Younger Patients Get a Healthy Start

During July, our Wellness Can't Wait campaign is spotlighting Child and Adolescent Well Care. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):1

  • 21.2% of adolescents, ages 12 to 19, have obesity
  • 2 in 5 students have a chronic health condition
  • 23.6% of high school students use at least one tobacco product

Your patients and their families may not be aware of health risks threatening kids and teens. To help you get a conversation started, we wanted to share this video from our vice president and chief medical officer, Derek Robinson. In the video, Dr. Robinson talks to parents about scheduling their child’s next well visit and staying up to date on childhood immunizations through the teenage years. 

Regular health screenings, immunizations and wellness checkups are critical to help detect health issues early, when they're easier to treat. Your patients’ Wellness Can't Wait. Now is the time to make preventive care a priority. If your patients have missed annual exams or preventive screenings, you may want to reach out to them to set up an appointment.

Through our Wellness Can't Wait campaign, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) is collaborating with the provider community and local organizations – like the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) – to connect those in need with access to tools and resources that empower them to take a proactive approach to their health. 

CDPH launched a series of free family vaccination clinics at our Blue Door Neighborhood Center locations to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for children 6 months and older. The clinics will continue into October 2022. Your patients can call 773-253-0900 or check the calendars at BDNC at Morgan Park, BDNC at Pullman and BDNC at South Lawndale for details, dates and registration.

1CDC, Promoting Health for Children and Adolescents, May 23, 2022.
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/children-health.htm

The above material is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other health care provider. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the appropriate course of treatment. References to third party sources or organizations are not a representation, warranty or endorsement of such organizations. Any questions regarding those organizations should be addressed to them directly. The fact that a service or treatment is described in this material is not a guarantee that the service or treatment is a covered benefit and members should refer to their certificate of coverage for more details, including benefits, limitations and exclusions. Regardless of benefits, the final decision about any service or treatment is between the member and their health care provider.