Introduction | Prevention | Utilization Management | Disease Management | Case Management | Health Education Resources

Prevention
Keeping the healthy healthy.

Did you know?

• 3 out of 5 people are overweight or obese*
• 1 out of 4 smoke cigarettes*
• 3 out of 4 fail to get any regular physical activity*
• 4 out of 5 do not eat enough fruits and vegetables in their diets*

This causes an increase in medical costs, emergency room visits, and sick days for your employees and increased costs for you due to absenteeism and low productivity.

The lifestyle decisions your employees make today impact their health as well as the cost of health care, now and in the future. By empowering your employees with access to the following resources, we encourage them to take a more active role in managing their health care and making more informed decisions.

MyHealthProfile**

Our health risk assessment tool, MyHealthProfile, is an integral part of CareEssentials. Employees who are CareFirst members answer questions regarding:

• Traditional medical history information
• Preventive services (immunizations, cancer screenings)
• Emotional health (depression, stress)
• Lifestyle choices (exercise, smoking)

MyHealthProfile can be used as an educational tool because employees receive a personalized health report that identifies potential health risks and offers preventive recommendations. Not only is MyHealthProfile useful as an educational tool for its participants, it functions as a point of entry into the online lifestyle management and telephonic coaching programs and care management services (e.g., disease management and case management).

The main difference in MyHealthProfile and others on the market is its ability to assess an employee’s readiness to change an unhealthy behavior (i.e. smoking) and tailor customized interventions (i.e. tobacco cessation program) to that degree of readiness. Targeting employees who are ready to change behavior is the most effective strategy for success.

Members of fully insured groups will receive a letter in the mail with instructions on how to access the MyHealthProfile online tool. Members who do not have internet access can complete MyHealthProfile using a touchtone phone or they can request a paper copy.

Lifestyle Management Programs**

Lifestyle Management Programs are personalized, self-directed, and interactive tools that are designed to help employees improve their health by guiding them through the change process and into more appropriate lifestyle choices. Once employees complete MyHealthProfile, they can access the web-based Lifestyle Management programs.

Over 16,000 personalized coaching paths can be generated to create a customized educational tool for each employee. The programs offer interactive exercises to engage employees and assist them with making better health choices.

Program modules include:

• Stress management
• Smoking cessation
• Weight and nutrition management
• Exercise
• Medication adherence
• Depression prevention

Prevention Tools

FirstHelp™ nurse line**

CareFirst offers FirstHelp, a 24-hour a day, 7 day a week medical advice service. FirstHelp is staffed by registered nurses who can answer your employee’s health care questions and help guide them to the most appropriate care.

My Care First

At My Care First, the health and wellness section of www.carefirst.com, employees can find information on more than 300 topics including nutrition, fitness, chronic illness and mental health. In addition, the site offers interactive tools such as weekly polls, quizzes and health calculators that are both entertaining and educational.

Vitality

Vitality, our quarterly health magazine, provides your employees with updates on their health plan and includes health and wellness articles to help them achieve a healthier lifestyle. Each issue is filled with information such as food and nutrition, physical fitness, preventive health care tips, among others.

Options Discount Program

The Options discount program provides employees with discounts on laser vision correction, hearing care services, fitness club memberships and mail order contact lenses, as well as alternative therapies such as acupuncture, massage therapy and chiropractic care.

For more information on CareEssentials, please contact your CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield representative.

*Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics
** These prevention programs are available for an additional fee if the account is self-insured.