Disease Prevention and Management
Through the Healthy Kids, Healthy Families initiative, we offer our commitment of preventive services to stop disease or illness before it occurs. Additionally, we focus on providing education and resources to prepare our communities to better manage their health situation once disease or illness occurs.
The Care Van program is one of our pillar partners in preventing and managing disease.
Mobilized Care Van Program
To provide preventive care to uninsured and medically underserved children and adults, each of Health Care Service Corporation's Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans operates a mobile immunization outreach program. The programs complement traditional clinics, as mobile health vans visit schools, churches, restaurants, recreational parks, shopping centers, public housing, community events and other locations.
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Since the start of the program in 1990, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois' (BCBSIL's) three mobile Care Vans have canvassed the state providing more than 221,600 free immunizations. One of BCBSIL's CareVans has also had a reoccurring presence at the Illinois State Fair, where working in collaboration with the St. John's Hospital of Springfield, thousands of seniors have taken advantage of free cholesterol and glucose screenings.
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Established in 2006, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBSNM) Care Van program, in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Health and other health care providers, including the University of New Mexico's Medical School, Eastern New Mexico University's nursing school, Asthma Allies, and La Familia Medical Clinic, has provided more than 8,000 immunizations and performed thousands of screenings statewide.
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Since 1999, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) Caring Van program has provided free immunizations to children through clinics held at child care facilities, schools, social service agencies and other community locations. Currently, two vans are stationed in Oklahoma City to serve the central and western parts of the state, and two vans are stationed in Tulsa, serving eastern Oklahoma. In March 2012, a fifth Caring Van will be introduced in partnership with Choctaw Nation Health Services to serve ten counties in the rural southeastern part of the state. As of December 2011, the Oklahoma Caring Vans have provided more than 193,000 immunizations to 94,800 children.
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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) operates 10 Care Vans in partnership with the Caring for Children Foundation, Texas Medical Association, Texas Medical Association Alliance and other organizations across the state. Beginning in June of 1997 through December 2011, the Caring for Children Foundation's Texas Care Van program has given 943,027 immunizations to 573,988 children.
