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BlueChoice HealthPlan to Launch Back Care Program

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 General News
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COLUMBIA, S.C., June 10 As nearly 80 percent of adultsexperience back pain at some point in their lives, BlueChoice(R) HealthPlan ofSouth Carolina this month will launch a free, back care program for its200,000-plus members.
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"Back pain is one of the most common medical problems and affects eightout of 10 people at some point in their lives. In South Carolina, backdisorders were among the top causes of ER visits in 2006," said BlueChoiceHealthPlan Chief Medical Officer Dr. Laura Long. "We hope to offer some hopeof relief through our new program on back pain."
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BlueChoice HealthPlan's new Great Expectations(R) Back Care program willidentify members with back pain and automatically enroll them, with a choiceto opt out. The free program provides an educational packet and suggests waysto manage back pain, including strengthening and stretching exercises toprevent future back injuries, a survey to take to the doctor, and resourcesfor further support.

Members with chronic, severe back pain will be considered for casemanagement, which includes a one-on-one assessment of needs, coordination ofservices, and assistance in understanding and complying with the medical andpharmacy treatment plan set up by the member's doctor.

BlueChoice HealthPlan has other Great Expectations for health programs indiabetes, maternity, children's health, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease, depression, heart disease, heart failure, men's health, women'shealth, migraine, weight loss and smoking cessation.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina(www.BlueChoiceSC.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlueCross BlueShield ofSouth Carolina, and both are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and BlueShield Association. BlueChoice HealthPlan has an A+ rating from A.M. Best andan Excellent accreditation status, the highest level awarded, from theNational Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). BlueChoice HealthPlan hasmore than 7,000 physicians in its statewide network and serves approximately212,000 members statewide. It offers four group health plans and oneindividual plan for children. (R)Registered mark of the Blue Cross and BlueShield Association. (R)Registered mark of BlueCross BlueShield of SouthCarolina.* Lower back pain accounts for two percent of all physician office visits; only routine examinations, diabetes and hypertension resulted in more office visits. * Annual direct costs associated with spine conditions are comparable to those of common chronic conditions including arthritis, cancer and diabetes. * Back pain accounts for 40 percent of all work absenteeism. Five percent of Americans miss at least one day of work a year due to lower back pain. * In 2007, 3,427 BlueChoice HealthPlan members visited a primary care physician and had a primary diagnosis of low back pain, 714 members went to the ER for low back pain, and 178 members saw their primary care physician and went to the ER for back pain.

SOURCE BlueChoice HealthPlan of SC
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