Jason Altmire

The ACA and Affordable Coverage by Jason Altmire

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florida sunset

At Florida Blue, we share the goals of the Affordable Care Act and want to see it succeed. That is why we have worked with policy makers at every level of government to discuss ways to prevent the premium increases that will result from the many taxes, fees and rating restrictions that are in the law. But that is not all we are doing in anticipation of ACA implementation. Florida Blue has also been leading the way in changing the way health care is delivered by working with providers to lower costs and increase quality of care. Taken together, our efforts to improve the law and adapt to the changing healthcare landscape it creates will put our members and all Floridians in the best possible position to benefit from the changes ahead.

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George Vancore

Making a Difference with Field of Dreams

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field-of-dreams-florida-blue

Since 1984, I have volunteered my time to Little League Baseball and Softball as an umpire and instructor. I was even invited to Williamsport, Pa. in 1998 to call games at the Little League World Series.

In 1989, Little League began a new baseball division for mentally and physically challenged youth called the Challenger Division.  Soon after the national launch, our local league put out the word that we were going to support this program and we quickly formed two teams with more than 40 players.

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Kate Warnock

Connecting Community and the Arts with Your Health

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blue disco ball

Health isn’t just your physical state; health includes your mental, emotional, social and behavioral aspects too.  A shining example of good overall health is the team effort put forth by the Florida Blue Foundation and the  Jacksonville Children’s Chorus (JCC). The value Jacksonville Children’s Chorus provides our community isn’t just healthier, happier kids; they also help create a healthier community.  It’s also Florida Blue’s Mission to help people and communities achieve better health.

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Florida Blue

5 Myths and Facts About Fats

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5 apples in different colors

Long ago, fats were considered not only something that could destroy a diet, but could also contribute to cardiovascular disease to diabetes. After many years of research, we now look as fats as a necessary item. While there are some fats that are bad, they are not all created equal. Below are five myths and facts about fats.

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Felecia Campbell

Florida Blue Employee – An Advocate for Children and Families

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Felecia Campbell and child

I’ve been committed to community involvement for many years and in various leadership roles and activities at my church.  I would randomly choose a facility, signup and go clean, cook or serve in the capacity they needed most.  I had contributed to the United Way of Northeast Florida for many years, but my time commitment in the community was less than my heart would have liked.

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Florida Blue

5 Important Health Numbers You Should Know

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picture of know your numbers

With as diet-obsessed as we are as a nation, you might assume that the most important number for you to know about your health is your weight. In reality, there are other figures related to your health that are more closely correlated to being healthy overall – and your weight isn’t one of them! According to sources ranging from American Heart Association, WebMD to Dr. Oz, here are five important health numbers you should know.

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Kate Warnock

How to Prepare for your Personal Health Assessment

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personal-health-assessment

Congratulations! You’ve made that important decision to get a series of health screenings, otherwise known as a personal health assessment (PHA). Maybe this is your first PHA, or perhaps you had one years ago, and you’re not certain what to expect when you go. How much time will it take? Should you bring anything? Will it hurt? No worries! Our own registered nurse from the Tampa Florida Blue Center, Mindi Denero, is here to help answer those questions and give some practical advice on what to expect. Be sure to read through to the end of the blog for a special members-only offer!

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Jamie Bassett

One Florida Blue Retail Center Nurse’s Story Working with HIV/AIDS Patients

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clous with text

When I was younger, I made very poor life choices which allow me to relate to some of the places that the clients of Big Bend Cares are coming from; I just happen to be one of the lucky ones to escape a non-discriminating HIV/AIDS diagnosis.

I was working at Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee when I met a nurse who was an employee with Big Bend Cares.  She was visiting a patient I was taking care of in the intensive care unit who had been diagnosed with HIV but had not been compliant with his recommended medical regimen and was very sick with AIDS.

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Kate Warnock

Getting the Right Customer Support for Your Health Care Needs

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Caroline Winegeart

Not long ago, Caroline posted to Facebook to tell her friends about her experience dealing with a health scare. Instead of dwelling on her frustration in trying to find a diagnosis for her symptoms, Caroline sang the praises of our own Brad Behr, a Florida Blue service representative, who was able to give her the right customer support for her health care needs.

“I would just like to take a second and publicly thank customer service rep Brad at Florida Blue who spent 30 minutes on the phone with me to make sure a rare test was covered under my plan and to cross-check every possible exception…” she wrote on her Facebook page.

But, first, let’s back up to the beginning of her story. Continue Reading »

Jason Altmire

Moving Toward Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

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U.S. capitol building

In my previous blog post on health care reform, I discussed some of the political and policy decisions that were made during the 2009-10 debate over the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the implications that those decisions had in the drafting of the bill that became law. In the months and years since enactment of the ACA, many of those decisions were challenged both in the court of public opinion and in courts of law.
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Jill Seidman

Connecting Florida’s Health Care Ecosystem | Road Trip Across the State!

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healthbox logo

Healthbox and Florida Blue are embarking on a road trip across the state this week to inform health care industry professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs about our Florida accelerator program launching at the end of July. Starting in Orlando then moving to Tampa and ending in Jacksonville, we are beginning our grassroots approach to unlock health care innovation across Florida.  We support new technology-based solutions with the power to tackle health care’s largest challenges. Healthbox has a dual mission to empower Florida’s health care entrepreneurs, and to ignite the state’s health care ecosystem connecting the geographically diverse hubs of health care innovation.

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Innovation is Creating Health Solutions for You

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The heart and soul of the company is creativity and innovation.

~Robert Iger  

In today’s world, there’s a great deal of media focused on creativity and innovation. I for one am very aware of it as I am involved and know people who attend or run events like  iStart Jax, Startup Weekend, BarCamp and HealthCamp. These events are where people come together to develop ideas that either solve a problem or enhance an already existing solution. There are even ideas and innovations that are specifically focused around health solutions.

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Florida Blue

Creating a Healthier Sulphur Springs for Kids

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girls sulphur springs

When you see a problem as challenging as childhood obesity, you might wonder if anything can truly be done to reverse it. Fortunately, there are groups here in Florida who run towards the problem with expertise, compassion and dedication. The Creating a Healthier Sulphur Springs for Kids initiative tackles childhood obesity by using a multi-faceted approach: implementing educational opportunities, policy changes and new programs that promote healthy eating and physical activity. Continue Reading »

Healthcare Reform and the Art of Innovation

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It’s an interesting time for health care; Florida Blue is committed to helping the people and communities in Florida be healthy, so we’re always trying new innovative things to help health care makes sense.  David Pizzo, Florida Blue’s Market President in Tampa, is helping lead this effort and is actively involved in community sponsorships, like the Art of Innovation event.

David will be taking notes as the key speaker, Guy Kawasaki, gives his perspective on innovation in the future. Mr. Kawasaki is the co-founder of AllTop, former chief evangelist of Apple and author to numerous books on innovation, social media and book publishing. Continue Reading »

Sarah Hande

Sleep Training, Part 2 | Florida Blue Blog

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henry sleep tr2

When I last posted, I was in the throes of sleep deprivation and obsessing on a nightly basis over how to get my then 11-month-old to sleep for more than three hours at a stretch. We would put Henry to bed (never letting him cry it out) between 8 and 9 p.m. each night. We had a bed time routine (sort of) and he was sleeping in his crib in our room. It probably wouldn’t surprise you then to hear that Henry was still waking up three or four times a night to nurse and often times ending up in our bed around 4 or 5 a.m.

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Kate Warnock

Helping Members Save Money | Florida Blue Center

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Helping members save money

Sometimes a visit to your local Florida Blue Center is more than worth your time. Here’s a great story of helping member’s save money using the Florida Blue Center.

Mr. B stopped in the Winter Park Florida Blue Center after he learned he had a basal cell cancer spot on his nose.  (Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, accounting for more than 90% of all U.S. skin cancer cases.)  He explained to Ellen Smith, R.N., a Center care consultant, that his doctor had arranged outpatient surgery at a local hospital to remove the spot. Sounds like a good plan, right?

Not so fast… Continue Reading »