Category: Health and Wellness

Welcome to our first podcast in the age of COVID-19. In this podcast, Mike and his producer, Lindsey, talk about what has changed at Blue Cross (about 90% of our employees are working from home), along with how we’ve adjusted programs and services for our members. And, he talks about what hasn’t changed — our commitment to continue serving our customers.

Mike explains why it’s vital to continue seeking treatment for regular health concerns. Emergencies like heart attacks and appendicitis don’t stop in the face of a public health crisis, but more Americans are delaying care for them, at a great risk. Mike discusses how telehealth can help you figure out if and when you need to head to the hospital. Read more

As the COVID-19 outbreak and our responses continue to evolve, it is very important to us at Blue Cross that you know the resources we have available to help you make it through this crisis.

We are continuously updating our COVID-19 webpage, and posting important information on additions or changes to Blue Cross services, programs or benefits to help our members during this crisis. We also include links to the agencies in charge, like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and Louisiana Department of Health.  Please check www.bcbsla.com/covid19 out often to see the newest news from us.
Read more

The changes we’ve all faced in the past few weeks have been really stressful. It’s important to me that we keep you all on top of what we are doing at Blue Cross to make sure the healthcare system, now so vital to our continued good health outcomes here in Louisiana, is strong and has the resources it needs.

Even before COVID-19, Blue Cross was paying for around $300 million a month in healthcare services for our members here in Louisiana. And with the current emergency around COVID-19, we could do even more. Here’s a few things that we have implemented to make it easier to protect your health. Read more

I’ve been watching the news reports, some accurate, some not so much, around the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. I’ve noticed that some scary-sounding public pronouncements are actually just common-sense actions, and once I read the fine print, it reassures me to know our public officials are taking action.

With diseases like this that can really put older people and people with compromised immune systems at serious risk, I’m thrilled to see people in charge, like our governor, take them seriously. Read more

In case you missed it, it’s cold and flu season. Hopefully, you are following the advice medical and public health professionals have been giving for years: Get your flu shot, wash your hands regularly, avoid huge crowds, try not to touch your face and, for God’s sake, keep your fingers out of your nose! (Quit denying it, I saw you!) Likewise, if you start to feel bad, running fever and the like, don’t go to work, school or public gatherings, and see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

These habits will serve you well in the face of the latest viral threat, the new coronavirus, formally named COVID-19. Read more

One of the most precious people in my life growing up was my paternal grandmother. Her name was Catherine, and her sisters and brothers called her Kitty.

Kitty was born in 1911, one of nine children, and lived her early life on a sugarcane farm near Donaldsonville, Louisiana. She married her next-door neighbor in 1934. My father, her only child, was born in 1938. Her husband, Carroll II, worked during the Great Depression anywhere he could, including building out the levees after the 1927 flood on the Mississippi River, sweeping the floors at the railroad station, and pumping gas. Read more