Nutrition Counseling Now a Core Benefit
 

We recognize the impact a well-balanced diet has on a person’s overall health, and we want to support our members in establishing good eating habits that will contribute to a healthier lifestyle. Beginning July 1, 2007, we are pleased to offer our HMO, POS, Direct POS, and PPO members coverage for up to six nutrition counseling visits with a participating physician or registered dietitian per calendar year at no additional cost to them.

A physician or registered dietitian is able to provide members with a plan customized to their specific dietary and health needs. The nutrition counseling visits will be a core benefit to our already comprehensive benefit plans. Groups will be notified of this great new benefit in early June and members will be notified in late June via Update magazine.

Our commitment to helping our members get healthy and stay healthy goes beyond this nutrition counseling benefit. To help our members achieve their weight management goals, members can also take advantage of our Healthy LifestylesSM Programs, which include reimbursements for fitness center fees and approved weight loss programs, and discounts on vitamins and nutritional supplements. Detailed information about our Healthy Lifestyles programs is available at www.ibxpress.com.

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The facts about obesity:

  • More than half of adults and a quarter of children in the United States are considered overweight.
  • Many chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, are associated with weight and contribute to more than $9 billion in lost productivity.
  • An obese person accounts for $1034 more in annual medical expenses than a person of average weight.1

1 According to a recent University of Pennsylvania Medical School report.
Independence Blue Cross offers products directly, through its subsidiaries Keystone Health Plan East and QCC Insurance Company, and with Highmark Blue Shield. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

©2007 Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.