Men’s Health Awareness Month: Blue Cross Shares Tip to Keep Up with Your Healthcare

November is Men’s Health Awareness Month, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is sharing tips to help Louisianians remind the men in their lives to keep up with their healthcare. 

Knowing where to go for care and when you need it can seem overwhelming. That’s why having a relationship with a primary care provider who can treat most of your health needs when you’re sick or injured is a good place to start. And, having at least one wellness visit with your primary care provider each year is important. Your primary care provider can help you keep track of your health over time and give you advice on what you need to do to protect your physical, mental and emotional wellness.

“Seeing your primary care provider regularly is an important step in maintaining your health,” said Dr. Jeremy Wigginton, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana medical director and Health Quality and Innovation vice president. “Your provider is your partner to help you stay on top of any health conditions you have, like diabetes or high blood pressure, and track any changes in your health status.”

Your doctor can keep track of your medical records, patient history and health information over the years. They can use this information to recommend tests and cancer screenings or other preventive services if you need them.  Most chronic conditions and diseases are easier to treat the earlier they are found. 

“During your routine wellness visit, you and your doctor can discuss your risk for certain conditions and determine what screenings you should have, based on your age and family or medical history,” Dr. Wigginton said. “This can include screenings for colon or prostate cancer and lab work to check your numbers for key indicators like blood sugar and cholesterol.” 

Your primary care provider is also a resource for your mental health and can help you manage stress, anxiety or depression, Dr. Wigginton said. “People will often ask how often they should talk to their providers about their mental health, and my answer is ‘every time,’” he said. “That’s especially important if you’ve been hospitalized or needed treatment for a mental health condition. But, use every office visit as a chance to check in with your provider about how you’re feeling and how you’re handling challenges. Mental health is as important as physical health when it comes to your well-being, so keep having that conversation.” 

To help Louisianians keep up with their care, Blue Cross recommends:

• See your doctor at least once a year. Annual wellness visits help you and your doctor track your health. They can find and treat problems before they become serious and require more expensive care.
• Talk about your health concerns. Write down your health concerns and questions before your wellness visit. Your doctor can address your questions and also help you set personal health and wellness goals.
• Ask if you are due for any screenings. Louisiana ranks high for many cancers that affect men, such as colorectal and prostate cancer. Your doctor can go over your risks with you and determine when you should start certain screenings.
• Check in on how you’re feeling. Your doctor can not only help you with your physical health, but also your mental and emotional health. Let your provider know if you are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.

Most health plans cover your yearly checkup at no or low cost to you. 

Learn more about why an annual wellness visit is so important in this video (0:47).

If you need help finding a primary care provider, you can call the Customer Service number on the back of your health insurance card. Blue Cross members can also visit www.bcbsla.com/find-a-doctor to locate a primary care provider in their network. 

To learn more about how you and the men in your life can keep up your healthcare, visit www.bcbsla.com/keepupwithcare. 

Visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube channel to see short videos on the COVID-19 vaccines and other health topics. Subscribe to know when new videos are added. You can connect with Blue Cross on social media for regular updates. Blue Cross posts often on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. 

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. Founded in New Orleans in 1934, we are a tax-paying nonprofit health insurer with offices in every major region to serve our customers. We have been recognized for the past three years as an honoree of The Civic 50, named by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States. 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. We invite all Louisianians to visit our website at www.bcbsla.com or talk to us on social media.