BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana students will be heading back to school soon, and it’s the perfect time to schedule an annual wellness visit for your children. Your children’s doctor can check their developmental progress and make sure they are up to date on immunizations, screenings and tests.
“It’s important to get in the habit of having a checkup every year, and back to school is a good time to do that,” said Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Vindell Washington. “It’s a chance to touch base with your doctor and plan together how you can improve your children’s health status and keep them healthy.”
Most health plans, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana health plans, cover an annual wellness visit for children at low or $0 out-of-pocket cost. Call your health plan’s customer service at the number on your member ID card to see how these visits are covered on your health plan and how much they will cost.
Washington emphasized it’s particularly important for parents to make sure their children are up to date on all recommended vaccines, given that the United States is currently experiencing the worst measles outbreak in more than 25 years. There have been more than 1,000 cases of measles reported in 28 states since the beginning of 2019. A big part of why measles is coming back after having been unheard of for so long is that there are small but increasing numbers of children who have not been vaccinated against it.
“Vaccines are an important part of your child’s health regimen. If you have concerns or aren’t sure which vaccines your child should receive, talk to your doctor,” Washington said. “Ask questions so your doctor can give you information and guide you through the process.”
Most day cares, school systems, colleges and universities require proof of vaccination before a child can enroll. Some vaccines are recommended for early childhood, and others are recommended for adolescence or even young adulthood. For example, there is a meningitis vaccine requirement for Louisiana college students. It’s important that parents of children of all ages talk to their children’s doctor every year to make sure they’ve gotten the shots they need for their age group.
The annual wellness visit is also a good opportunity to check your child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) for risk of being overweight or obese. Louisiana unfortunately has the eighth-highest rate of obesity among children ages 10 to 17. Children who are obese tend to be at greater risk of adult obesity, and obesity overall is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, bone or joint conditions and certain types of cancers.
If your child’s doctor determines he/she is overweight or obese, then your child may qualify for wellness benefits including health coaching on diet and exercise, BMI screenings and counseling.
Blue Cross has joined the Alliance for a Healthier Generation in offering preventive benefits like these to combat childhood obesity. Depending on a child’s particular needs and health situation, these covered benefits could include dietitian visits to teach healthy eating habits, regular follow-up screenings and counseling to work on behavior changes toward a healthier lifestyle.
Contact your health plan’s Customer Service at the number on your member ID card to find out how obesity prevention benefits are covered on your plan.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. We invest both time and money in the communities we serve, supporting the health and wellbeing of Louisianians through more than 200 charitable organizations.
With our subsidiaries, HMO Louisiana and Southern National Life, we provide group and individual health insurance plans, life and disability insurance, group voluntary products and administrative services to one out of four Louisiana residents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana also provides Medicare supplement and Medicare Advantage plans and is a partner in offering the Healthy Blue Medicaid Managed care plan. Louisiana is the only state where we operate, with offices in every major region to serve our customers.
Founded in New Orleans in 1934, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a tax-paying non-profit health insurer. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
To learn more, visit our website at www.bcbsla.com.
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