Healthcare News & Stories

Yeah, it’s a bummer that you haven’t been able to take your annual summer vacation. Curse you, COVID-19! But you know what? Summer isn’t over. And if you choose to go on an adventure vacation, you can pick a low-risk option.
We offer up two options below. Both are three-day affairs, Friday through Sunday. Both involve establishing a base camp and exploring from there. Both involve campgrounds that embraced social distancing long before social distancing was a thing.
Itineraries reflect lodging and activity options deemed to be among the most virus-resistant.

For North Carolina, August marks five months of living in a world upended by COVID-19. By July, more than 100,00 North Carolinians had tested positive for COVID-19. And, like the nationwide trend [1], North Carolina’s communities of color are more affected by the virus.
In North Carolina, 9.6% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.[2] But by mid-June, the Hispanic and Latino community represented more than 44% of North Carolina’s COVID-19 cases. [3]
Prior to the pandemic, Latino communities faced greater health disparities. These disparities are caused by social and economic discrimination. Now, some challenges are proving even greater under the stress of a virus.

The Charlotte Hornets and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) announced they are teaming up to support Project BOLT, a nonprofit whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for marginalized citizens of the Charlotte community. The Hornets and Blue Cross NC are committing to a weekly donation of 300 meals for children in Charlotte over the next six weeks, along with a $10,000 donation to Project BOLT.
The meals, which will come from Uptown Yolk, will be donated on each of the next six Tuesdays, beginning tomorrow.  Hornets Legends Muggsy Bogues and Dell Curry will be on hand to tip off the program at the Little Rock Apartments.  Additional information can be found below.
“We are pleased to team with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina to support Project BOLT, a local nonprofit doing important work in our community,” said Hornets President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield.  “Too many of our neighbors are struggling with food insecurity right now, especially some of our children who will not receive the assistance they normally would in school.  We hope these meals and the additional support from our two organizations will help Project BOLT provide relief to some of those in our community who need it.”

A child at my son’s school tragically died this spring. He slipped while out fishing at a lake and drowned. He was only nine. I didn’t know this child personally, but I mourned his loss along with the rest of the school community. He had a big, beautiful smile, and those who knew him said he had an even bigger personality. My heart broke for his mother.
No parent, family or community should have to endure the loss of a child from drowning. Unfortunately, drowning is the leading cause of injury death for children aged 1 to 14, according to the CDC. Three children in our country die every day as a result of drowning.
Those kinds of stats make me want to keep my kids land-locked. But, like many children, they love water and are drawn to it. Our community pool is closed this summer, so we bought a small (and some might say “tacky”) above-ground pool. My son already knew how to swim, but my daughter has gone from wearing floaties to being a little mermaid in just weeks.

Getting married, moving to a new home, and adopting children are exciting events in your life. When these changes happen the last thing, you may think about is letting your health insurer know.  It’s important to let us know of these exciting events or other unexpected changes so we can make sure you have the right coverage and we’re able to send important communications to you.
Examples of changes you should report
A Change in Name:

“It’s a hundred degrees in the shade.”
It’s an old adage offered not literally, necessarily, but simply to convey that its one hot day. Lately, it’s been less adage than reality.
When the temperature stays this hot for this long, it’s hard to think about getting out for a hike. Unless you know where to go.

How would you feel if you were expected to buy a car, a television or even a meal, without knowing first how much it will cost you? Confused? Helpless? Frustrated?
Unfortunately, that’s exactly how many of us feel when we’re faced with planning a medical test or procedure. We have no idea how much an MRI or a series of blood tests will cost – much less a medical procedure or surgery. This makes a stressful situation even harder to navigate. And if the stress wasn’t enough, lack of health care pricing transparency costs our country more than $100 billion every year. As they say in Washington: that’s real money.
Why is this happening? Because health care is the last frontier of pricing secrecy.

FROM INITIAL SYMPTOMS TO RECOVERY, FIND OUT HOW COVID-19 SYMPTOMS PROGRESS.
You’ve been careful. You’ve stayed socially distant. You’ve worn a mask. You’ve washed your hands often. But others weren’t as careful. And when you went to grab takeout last week, you bumped shoulders with someone who had COVID-19. Little did you know, they had just coughed, and you are now infected.
You may not start feeling symptoms immediately, but when you do, what can you expect?

Evidence continues to emerge showing a stark contrast in the impact of COVID-19 on community health. The novel coronavirus is striking minority groups, particularly African Americans, at disproportionally higher rates.
A number of factors are likely behind this disturbing trend including poorer access to healthcare, higher rates of chronic illness, limited testing, distrust of the healthcare system and underlying bias.
We recently spoke with Bridget Hurd, senior director of diversity and inclusion at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and a member of the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities, a high-level panel appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to better understand the key drivers of these disparities and determine what can be done to improve outcomes.

f you’re turning 65, you’ve been inundated with correspondence from insurance companies offering supplements and prescription drug plans.  Here is why.  Original Medicare only covers about 80% of many healthcare services.
Original Medicare includes Part A and Part B.
Part A is hospital insurance that helps cover inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care, hospice and home health care.  If you or your spouse has paid 40 quarters into the Social Security Program, then Part A has no monthly premium.

People without reliable transportation may have trouble accessing health care services. But missing important health visits like physicals, eye exams and dental check-ups can have long-lasting effects.
To help bridge these care gaps, Durham Technical Community College (Durham Tech) is taking huge strides. In June, they launched a mobile health lab where students and supervising doctors offer visual and dental health screenings. The lab serves mostly elementary-aged children in undeserved local neighborhoods.
The mobile health unit will provide services in Durham and Orange counties. It will reach students in communities that have over 50% of students on a free or reduced lunch plan.

You would think that with each passing year, incidents of complications during pregnancy and childbirth would decrease. But the recent Health of America report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association shows otherwise.
Overall, pregnancy complications rose by more than 16% in recent years. Childbirth complications saw an increase of more than 14%. As a physician, this is troubling to me.
A review of 1.8 million pregnancies (ages 18-44) nationwide between 2014 and 2018 offered significant findings:

Many of us have wonderful memories of growing up and playing outside, carefree all summer. But today’s kids are more likely to be spending time in front of their mobile devices, computer, or TV. This can lead to being sedentary, feeling isolated, and getting bored.
In the United States, the percentage of children and adolescents with obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s (CDC). And with sports and summer camps on hold because of the coronavirus, our kids may be feeling especially stir crazy.
If we can help kids play and be more active, it will benefit them physically and emotionally.

2020 was supposed to be an awesome year. The beginning of a new decade. A fresh start.
Fast forward to March 2020. We found ourselves in a worldwide pandemic. Many of us felt this year couldn’t get any worse. But 2020 stood up, stretched, and said, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. I’m just getting started.”
May 25, 2020.  George Floyd was murdered, and the whole world watched in horror. This isn’t the first Black man killed unjustly on video. But for many people, this felt different. This was a slow, painful execution. We watched this man as the life slowly left his body, the knee of an officer on his neck. Unapologetic. No remorse. Even as the Black man pleaded and begged, “I can’t breathe. Please. I can’t breathe.”  Then, on instinct, he cried out for his mother to save him.

The racks at the Great Outdoor Provision Co. store in Chapel Hill are typically stocked with canoes and kayaks. They were threadbare late last week. Of the few boats remaining, all but three had “sold” tags on them. Since late March, keeping enough boats in stock has been near impossible. More and more people are turning to one of the most social-distancing-friendly forms of outdoor recreation: paddling.“
Folks are (re)-discovering the joy of paddle sports,” says Chuck Millsaps, president of Great Outdoor Provision Co., with seven stores in North Carolina. “It has been encouraging to see folks take to the water for a bit of peace and perspective.”
Part of the beauty of paddling in these pandemic times is that keeping your distance from fellow paddlers is easy. You may see another paddler or two at the boat ramp. But out on the water it’s easy to keep your distance. And as escapes go, in the eyes of Jim Poling Sr., author of “The Canoe: An Illustrated History,” you’d be hard pressed to find a better alternative.“

HAVE A CHRONIC DISEASE? HERE’S HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE TO MANAGE YOUR ILLNESS AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Nurse case managers at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) are working hard to help members with existing health conditions stay safe. Four of these nurses—Roanne Ray, Ebb Olwell, Cary Holt, and Grace Denton—compiled a few tips for protecting yourself and staying healthy.
MAKE A PLAN FOR GETTING GROCERIES AND ESSENTIAL ITEMS

June is about the time we start thinking about escaping to the mountains. During normal times, that is.
While these certainly aren’t normal times, there are some normal things that we can do. We can still get out and enjoy the splendor of our Southern Appalachian mountains.
We may not be ready for a full-scale, week-long mountain vacation, but a thoughtfully executed day trip to isn’t out of the question. Especially if you plan to spend it outdoors, on a trail. The key: finding a trail less likely to be crowded, and that won’t tax a body that’s been cooped up for three months now.

YOUR PREGNANCY RELATED COVID-19 QUESTIONS, ANSWERED.
Welcoming a new baby is a joyous time. You look forward to decorating the nursery, shopping for baby items and meeting your little one. But with the coronavirus outbreak, many new and expecting families are now experiencing worry.
Here are answers to questions new and expecting families may have right now.

We stand against racism.

We stand with our Black employees and members along with all others who are experiencing trauma as a result of the ongoing violence against Black lives in our country.

For the past few weeks, I’ve noticed that my neighbor seems, well, a bit off. Once talkative and outgoing, he is now reserved and disinterested. When we do speak, his comments reflect hopelessness.
These interactions are common. I now have similar conversations with coworkers, friends and family members. Although it’s certainly not all “doom and gloom,” my loved ones mention sleepless nights, invasive thoughts, loneliness – and yes, hopelessness.
Indeed, research shows that during times of crisis, the prevalence of anxiety and depression is expected to double. Those with pre-existing mental health or substance-related conditions are among the most vulnerable. People at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 (such as older adults or those with underlying health conditions) may also experience more worry.

To slow the spread of COVID-19, many people across the country are getting medical care virtually. More than ever before, our members are connecting with their doctors over the phone or on video chat.At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, we’ve expanded virtual access to health care providers until July 31, 2020 in response to COVID-19. But if you’ve never used telehealth before, it may seem daunting.While some medical needs require an in-person visit, others work well with telehealth. We spoke with two physicians, Dr. Thomas Warcup of UNC Health and Dr. John Yeatts of Duke Health, to answer your questions.
WHAT IS TELEHEALTH?
Dr. Warcup: Telehealth is using a virtual platform to provide care. That can be telephone or video.

Bringing your whole and best self to work is an aspirational goal for some. But for others, it’s a daunting challenge. According to a study by the Human Rights Campaign in 2014, 53 percent of the LGBTQ community concealed their sexuality at work and 35 percent lie about their personal lives.

At BCBSNC, we believe diversity in business matters for North Carolina and beyond and we’re committed to providing a welcoming, diverse and inclusive workplace for all employees. We partner with several organizations to support equality and offer an Employee Network (Spectrum) for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees and their allies.