Empire BlueCross BlueShield Foundation Tackled Complex Health Needs in New York in 2016

NEW YORK, February 1, 2017 /3BL Media/ -- The Empire BlueCross BlueShield Foundation works with organizations in Empire’s 28-county service area to help improve the health of New Yorkers. Through our focus on heart health, cancer prevention, prenatal care, diabetes prevention, active lifestyles and behavioral health, the Foundation is teaming with organizations that are setting the standard when it comes to innovative programs that offer long term health solutions.

In New York, the Foundation provided nearly $1.4 million in grants during 2016. Empire contributed another $294,650 in additional community support.

“When our communities are healthy, residents are able to thrive, grow and prosper,” said Larry Schreiber, president and CEO of Empire. “We are proud to work with these organizations, dedicated to improving the health of our communities and working to change the lives of so many people throughout the state. Together, we’re one step closer to achieving a healthier future for all.”

From increasing cancer screening and helping youth discover that eating healthy and staying active can be fun, the Foundation continues to tackle some of the state’s most complex health issues. A quick look at some of this year’s highlights illustrates how our work with these non-profits is helping to reduce health disparities and empower local community residents to take control of their health:

• Boys & Girls of America: 722 youth engaged in healthy, active lifestyles as a result of the seven grants that were made to support Triple Play Club programs.
• Disabled Sports USA: Adaptive sports programming was provided to 40 youth with disabilities in Albany.
• March of Dimes: Through our support of the ‘Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait’ program, 462 women received direct services including Centering Pregnancy and the high risk prenatal program at Elmhurst Hospital; 210 providers and 5,950 individuals were reached indirectly through health education.
• OASIS Institute: In partnership with Bronx House, the CATCH Program was able to reach 779 adults and 175 children in 18 sites in Bronx this year. Adult volunteers were engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for an average of 53 percent of the physical activity portion of the program; a 46 percent increase was achieved with regard to total minutes of moderate physical activity by adult volunteers; and the program saw a 100% increase in total minutes of vigorous physical activity by adult volunteers.
• New York City Department of Parks and Rec: In 2016, we announced 100 new ShapeUP NYC exercise classes - and the addition of 20 bilingual classes.
• Child Center of New York: Through our support of the Asian Outreach Project, 2013 NYC students who suffer from emotional/behavioral issues were screened. Ninety-five percent of screened children were then engaged in crisis intervention and/or an assessment and 70 percent received therapy at their school.

In addition to the support given directly to these organizations, Empire associates volunteered 6530 hours to benefit a number of nonprofits in the state, earning $40,000 in the company-sponsored “Dollars for Doers” grants. Two New York associates received support through the associate emergency fund, totaling more than $13,000. And, supported by a Foundation match, Empire associates raised more than $237.000 through the company’s year-round Associate Giving Program.

About Empire BlueCross BlueShield
Serving New Yorkers for 80 years, Empire BlueCross BlueShield is the largest health insurer in New York supporting more than four million members and more than 38,000 business, union and small employers in New York. Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc., independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, serving residents and businesses in the 28 eastern and southeastern counties of New York State. Additional information about Empire is available at www.empireblue.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at @empirebcbs.

About Empire BlueCross BlueShield Foundation
Through charitable grant making, the Empire BlueCross BlueShield Foundation (and the Empire BlueCross Foundation), trade names of the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation L.L.C., independent licensees of the BlueCross BlueShield Association, serving residents and businesses in the 28 eastern and southeastern counties of New York State, promotes Empire’s inherent commitment to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Empire serves. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s annual associate giving campaign and its parent foundation provides a 50 percent match of associates’ campaign pledges. www.empireblue.com

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally-operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 106 million members – one-in-three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit bcbs.com. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog, for up-to-date information about BCBSA.