Putting Our Members' Health First

Breast cancer and coronary artery disease are complex medical conditions to manage. How can we help breast cancer and coronary artery disease patients manage their conditions to maximize their health and quality of life?

To Always Put Our Members' Health First

Coverage for preventive care and regular screenings, such as mammograms, is a key element of how we keep our promise "To Always Put Our Members' Health First."

At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, we are committed to putting our members' health first at each and every stage of life. We offer a wide range of programs, including prevention and wellness, regular medical exams and screenings, and support to members with specific medical conditions. We have created health management programs to help eligible members handle a variety of chronic or complex conditions. Currently, we administer programs for 25 different conditions, ranging from diabetes to breast cancer, from heart disease to obesity.

Blue Care® Connection health management programs are designed to help members master the day-to-day management of their conditions while offering telephone support from licensed professionals, education, and other specialized resources tailored to each member's unique needs. Our health management programs do not wait for members to contact us and ask for help. Instead, we reach out to them at the earliest stages of their diagnosis and offer our help.

American Cancer Society Logo Research indicates that the shorter the time between a patient's initial diagnosis with breast cancer and the beginning of treatment, the better the patient's health outcomes. That's why our Blue Care® Connection for Breast Health program encourages the early identification and rapid treatment of breast cancer. The goal is to help members get the care when, where, and how they need it. Our nurses contact women and men recently diagnosed with breast cancer and offer support and education to help them fully understand their condition and their options, as well as to facilitate access to high-quality treatment.

Likewise, Blue Care® Connection for a Healthy Heart provides support and education for members with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Eligible members who have had a heart attack or stroke, or who display other signs of CAD, receive telephone support from heart-health specialists (either a registered nurse or a registered dietitian) and educational materials that target self-care management. The program's goal is to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Members in this program have demonstrated clinical improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as significant improvements in physical activity and maintaining a heart-healthy diet—all key measures of improved health.

American Heart Association Logo The New England Division of the American Cancer Society and the Northeast Affiliate of the American Heart Association applaud our breast care and coronary artery programs as outstanding examples of disease management. These programs bring a new dimension of care to our members through true partnerships between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, members, and their doctors.

 

Our programs:

 

"Blue Care® Connection for a Healthy Heart, developed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts in conjunction with leading heart specialists and the American Heart Association, is an extraordinary example of a program that combines evidence-based medicine with outreach by dedicated clinicians to help people with coronary artery disease."

—Dr. Gray Ellrodt, Cardiologist, Immediate Past President of the Northeast Affiliate of the American Heart Association and Chair of the American Heart Association's National Steering Committee for Quality Improvement

 

Read further about our collaborative efforts…