May 2022
Your Patients’ Wellness Can’t Wait
Regular health screenings, immunizations, and wellness checkups can help detect health issues early, when they may be 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.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 41% of U.S. adults delayed or avoided medical care during the pandemic. With regard to cancer screenings, testing for breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer dropped more than 80% during the pandemic. Screening numbers have improved, but many people are still overdue. Because of these missed screenings, many cancers will be found at a later stage, when they are harder to treat. Experts predict that 10,000 more people will die from breast and colorectal cancer due to screening delays.1
Through our Wellness Can't Wait campaign, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) is collaborating with the provider community and local organizations to connect those in need with access to tools and resources that empower them to take a proactive approach to their health – with sights set on long-term wellness.
Services provided as a result of BCBSIL grants to Illinois organizations include COVID-19 and flu vaccinations; routine pediatric and adult vaccinations; access to dental, behavioral, infant and maternal health care; and wellness screenings.
During May, our Wellness Can't Wait campaign is spotlighting Mental Health Month. Play this video to hear what our vice president and chief medical officer, Derek Robinson, has to say about the importance of members taking care of their mental health in addition to their physical health.
Check our Blue Door Neighborhood CenterSM (BDNCSM) calendars for virtual and in-person educational opportunities. All programming at BDNC locations is free and available to everyone. In addition, our Care Van® program will be handing out educational and access to care information.
1 CDC, Cancer Doesn’t Wait and Neither Should You, Feb. 8, 2022. https://blogs.cdc.gov/cancer/2022/02/08/cancer-doesnt-wait-and-neither-should-you/
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.
BDNC locations are not medical facilities, do not have medical providers on staff, do not offer medical advice, and do not provide health care or mental health services.