HealthyGenerations

Another Good Reason to Quit Smoking: Your KidsQuit with the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 20, 2008!

Giving Tennessee’s children a healthy start in life.Summer 2008

For CoverKids and CoverKids HealthyTNBabies Members

This program is FREE to all Tennessee residents. So, quit waiting and call now. The number is 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). For the hearing impaired, call 1-877-559-3816.

HeAlTH beNefITS Of QUITTING SmOKINGIf your cigarette was:

These are some of the changes you may have:

20 minutes ago Heart rate drops to normal.

12 hours ago Carbon monoxide level in bloodstream drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months ago

Heart attack risk begins to drop. Lung function starts to improve.

1 to 9 months ago Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

1 year ago Added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

5 to 15 years ago Stroke risk is cut to that of a non-smoker’s.

10 years ago

Lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker’s. Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.

15 years ago Risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a non-smoker’s.

You know that smoking causes cancer. You also know that smoking:•causesheartdiseaseandothermajorhealthproblems•maycutthenumberofyearsyoulive•costsalotofmoney•stainsyourteeth•givesyoubadbreath

Secondhand smoke and kidsStill can’t quit smoking? Think about this. Your second- hand smoke is bad for your child, too. It can boost a child’s risk of colds. It can also boost ear infections and breathing problems. Secondhand smoke can cause a child with asthma to have attacks more often. It can also cause the child to have attacks with more severe symptoms.

Phone service gives supportIf you want to stop exposing your child and others to the health risks of secondhand smoke, call the Tennessee Tobacco Quit Line. This is a toll-free phone service. It provides personal support for Tennesseans who want to quit smoking or chewing tobacco.

As part of the program, you will...•receiveaFREETobaccoQuitKit•workwithaFREEQuitCoach•learntodealwithtobaccocravingsandotherchallenges

Save money With Home Delivery of Prescriptions

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BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee wants to introduce you to two features that are part of your child’s CoverKidspharmacybenefitplan:•CVSCaremark*HomeDelivery Service Program•HomeDeliveryatRetailNetwork

Home deliveryPrescriptions can be mailed directly to your home. They are mailed in plain, tamper-evident packaging. This service offers convenience. It also provides privacy. Plus, home delivery saves time. It may even save you money on your drug copays.

Getting started is easy. Call FastStart at 1-866-443-9159 to begin. Please have your child’s memberIDcardreadywhenyoucall. You’ll also need to give the name and phone number of your child’s doctor.

Home delivery at retail You can buy up to a three-month supply of most drugs at participating retail pharmacies. Just make sure your child’s doctor writes his or her prescription for a three-month supply. This service may also save you money on drug copays. It includes several independent pharmacies. Plus, these national chain pharmacies:

CVS Publix Eckerd Rite-Aid Food City Sam’s Club Fred’s SuperD Kmart Wal-Mart Kroger

For a complete list of pharmacies in ourHomeDeliveryRetailNetwork,gotoourWebsiteatbcbst.com.

If you have questions on any of thesebenefits,pleasevisitbcbst.com.YoumayalsocallMemberServices at 1-888-325-8386.

more Healthy Smiles With Dental ServicesCoverKidswouldliketoremindyouthatwehaveaddeddentalbenefitsfor our members. The dental program gives members up to two oral exams and cleanings annually withnocopay.Routinefillings,crowns and emergency services are available to members for a $15 copay or less depending on income.Thebenefitwillalsoofferfree X-rays.

DoralDentalofTennesseeistheadministratoroftheCoverKidsdentalbenefit.LikeCoverKids’medicalbenefits,BlueCrossBlueShield of Tennessee administers thevisionbenefits.

Healthy teeth If your child is not seeing a dentist on a regular basis, now is a great time to make an appointment to take advantage of this new coverage.

Keepingyourchild’steethandgums healthy helps maintain good oral health. Poor oral health can lead to more than a tooth ache. It can lead to: • havingtomissschool • weightloss • speechproblems • poorself-esteem • serioushealthproblems

Good oral health lets kids focus on being kids, not tooth pain and illness.

Please refer questions about dental coveragetoDoralDentalat1-888-291-3766. Or visit doralusa.com for more information.

CoverKids News

Story of Hopelisten to Their Voices

CoverKids Helps boost Confidence of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., Teen

WithCoverKids,Matthew’sconditionsare now under control and his self-esteem has

increased.Matthewproudlydisplaysanaward he received at the end of last school year.

Matthew’sdaddecidedtotakeearlyretirementfromhisjobatahomeimprovement store. He wanted to work for himself. His dad also wanted to build a better life for his family.Sadly,hisjobhadprovidedhealth insurance for the family. Matthew’smother,Teresa,workspart-time at an elementary school but is not offered insurance through herjob.

Getting on CoverKids

DoctorsfoundoutthatMatthew,14, had asthma during the second year of his life. He also suffers from year-round allergies. Plus, he hasattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD).DuetoMatthew’spreexisting conditions, he is ineligible for the private health insurance his family now receives. As aresult,Matthew’sdrugsalonewerecosting his family hundreds of dollars a month. Understanding the severity of his health problems, Teresa appliedforCoverKids.Thankfully,Matthewqualified.WiththehealthcarehegetsfromCoverKids,hisasthma and allergies are now under control.

“WehadbeengettinghelpfromProjectAccess.Plus,wereceivedhelp from a drug assistance program, and would get sample drugsfromMatthew’sdoctor,”Teresasaid.“ThenCoverKidscame.And it’s been a miracle ever since. Now,Matthew’sallergyshotsarecovered. And he is getting better care. I’m constantly telling others about the program. I don’t want anyone to go through what we went through.”

Personal support

AsaCoverKidsmember,Matthewalso gets personal support from anurseintheCareSmartDiseaseManagementProgramatBlueCrossBlueShield of Tennessee. Because of the better care he is getting through CoverKids,thefamilyhasavoidedER visits and hospitalizations. They have also avoided missed days of work and school.

Today,Matthewisanoutstandingrising ninth-grade student who plans to study graphic arts and computer-aideddesign(CAD)whenhestartshighschoolthisfall.Nolongerembarrassed about his asthma, he now tries to educate others about the disease.

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“He wrote a school paper about asthma to try to educate his class matesaboutit,”Teresasaid.“Ithinkthat if you’re healthy, you’ll do better inschool.ThesedaysMatthewfeelsbetter. And when he feels better, he wantstogotoschool.”

Good things are happening

AtMatthew’seighth-gradegraduation,schoolofficialspresentedhimwiththeKiwanisClubCitizenship Award. He also won the American Red Cross Hometown Hero Award for helping a homeless man during Christmas.

“Those two awards have really boosted his ego. He even went on afieldtriptoNashvilleandtookhisinhaler,”Teresasaid.“Ithinkgoodthingsarehappeningforhim.”

AtCoverKids,wesaycongratulationstoMatthewonhisachievements.Wewish him the very best of health and success in the future!!!

CoverKids News

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Birth

Hep b-1

1 mo

Hepatitis B

Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis

Pneumococcal (PCV)

DTaP

Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule

2 mos 4 mos 6 mos 12 mos 15 mos 18 mos 24 mos 4-6 yrs 11-12 yrs 13-18 yrs

Hep b-2 Hep b-3 Hep b Series

DTaP DTaP DTaP DTaP Tet/Diph Tetanus

H. influenzae type b Hib

Hib Hib Hib Hib

Polio (IPV) IPV IPV IPV IPV

PCV PCV PCV PCV

Measles, Mumps, Rubella

mmR-1 mmR-2 mmR-2

Varicella (chicken pox) PCV

Influenza Influenza (yearly)

This immunization schedule serves as a guide. If you’re not sure whether your children are fully vaccinated, ask their physician.

Range of recommended ages Catch-up immunization

Protect Your Child from Diseases – ImmunizeAugust is Immunization Awareness month: be safe and vaccinate.

We can all benefit from immunizations throughout life. School has started. Plus, flu season is coming. Is your child up to date on his or her immunizations?

Immunizations are vaccines or shots thatpreventdisease.CoverKidsencourages you to make sure your child gets his or her shots on time. Plus, make sure your kids are in overall good health. If you did not get a chance to take your son or daughter for a routine checkup during the summer, now is the perfect time to set an appointment.

Up-to-date physicals are needed for many popular youth activities. So, be sure to take any requested forms for physicals to the checkup. That way,yourchild’sdoctorcanfillthemout at the appointment.

The best shot for a healthy futureThanks to successful vaccine programs, serious health problems have been almost eliminated from society. But your child still needs to get shots to have the highest level of protection.

The chart below shows the general recommendations for shots for kids and adolescents. Use it to track yourchild’sshots.Keepinmindthatsome kids need other shots, as well. So, ask the doctor about your child’s specificneeds.

CoverKidsurgesyoutomakeanappointment today to be sure your bases are covered!

Clip this chart and keep it on hand for easy reference.

CoverKids News

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Regular exercise can help you get ready for the stress on your body during pregnancy and labor. It can also help make the muscles needed for delivery stronger. Plus, staying active can lessen some of the discomforts of pregnancy. It can give you more energy, too.

The type and intensity of exercise you do during pregnancy depends on your health. It also depends on how active you were before you became pregnant. Regular exercise at least three times a week is better for you than spurts of exercise followed by long periods of inactivity. If you did not do any exercise before becoming pregnant, walking is a good way to begin an exercise program.

exercise within reason

If you were active before you became pregnant, there is no reason you cannot keep doing so. But you must do so within reason. You can probably keep doing some activitiesaslongasyoufeelOKdoingthem. This includes: • jogging •golfing • swimming •bowling •playingtennis

You will need to stop taking part in sports in which you might fall or be bumped.

Safety tips

Whenyouexercise,rememberto: •Slowdownyouractivityifyourheartstartsbeating faster than the target range given by your doctor •Notdotoomuch •Drinkwateroftenbefore,duringandaftertokeep from getting dehydrated •Becarefulwithyourback •Notgetoverheated •Notexerciseifyouhaveafever

Plus, remember, before you begin an exercise program, talkwithyourdoctor.Makesureyoufollowyourdoctor’sadvice. If you are having problems with your pregnancy, you should not exercise.

exercising During Your Pregnancy

learn the Signs of Preterm laboreven if you do everything right, you can still have preterm labor.

Preterm labor is a serious problem occurring before 37 weeks of pregnancy. This is too early. And your baby could be born too soon. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the below warning signs.

Warning signs •Yourtummytightenslikeafistevery10minutes or more often •Youbeginleakingfluidorbleedingfromyour vagina • Itfeelslikeyourbabyispushingdown •Youhavealow,dullbackache •Youhavecrampsthatfeellikeyourperiod •Youhavecrampsinyourtummywithorwithout diarrhea What your doctor might tell you •Comeintotheofficeorgotothehospital right away •Stopwhatyou’redoing •Restonyourleftsideforanhour •Drinktwotothreeglassesofwaterorjuice

If you keep having signs after an hour, call your doctor back. If the signs get better, relax for the restoftheday.Don’tdothethingsthatcausedthesigns before.

Take care of yourself and your baby •Getregularprenatalcheckups •Trytoavoidstress • Askfamilyandfriendsforhelp •Don’tdrinkalcohol,smokeortakestreetdrugs • Ifyoufeelburningorpainwhenyougothe bathroom, you may have an infection. Call your doctorSource:MarchofDimes

CoverKids HealthyTNBabies News

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CoverKids HealthyTNBabies News

What you get! Your CaringStart nurse will give you personal attention. She will help you stay on the right track. Your nurse will also send you a 450-plus page book that tells you everything you need to know about pregnancy.

Topics include: •propernutrition •gettingreadyforchildbirth • thingstoavoid

enrolling is easy Togetthebestpossiblebenefit from this program, we encourage youtosignupassoonasyoufindout you are pregnant. To do so, call 1-888-416-3025.

find more resources online VisittheseWebsitestolearnmoreabout pregnancy and babies:

8 modimes.org–TheMarchof Dimes.Thisisawell-known source of information on pregnancy and babies.

8 Childbirth.org – This has a lot of facts about pregnancy and childbirth.

8 Aap.org – This includes child health data from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Support, resources, and healthy babies and moms. That’s what you can expect from theCaringStartMaternityProgramfrom BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. This program is offeredtoyouthroughCoverKidsHealthyTNBabies.Itgivesyouadded support during your pregnancy and after the birth of your baby.Whetherthisisyourfirstoneor you have other children, we want to give you information you need to help you have a health pregnancy and baby. This program is offered at no extra charge to you. Plus, enrollingiseasy.Wehopeyou’lltake advantage of it during this very special time in your life.

Important benefits InformationCoverKidsHealthyTNBabiesonlycoversroutinenurserycareforyournewbornforuptofourdaysafterdelivery. So,checkintoCoverKidsforcomprehensivehealthcoverageforyourbaby.Heorshemayqualifytoreceivehealthbenefitsunderthatprogram!

Get Ready for the New Challenges of Parenthood With CaringStart

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Story of Hope listen to Their Voices

‘CoverKids Gives People a Chance to Get on Track’

“Wehadbeenwithoutinsuranceforthree years. So, we had been paying foreverythingout-of-pocket,”saidRachel.“WhenwefoundoutIwaspregnant, it freaked us out that we didn’t have any insurance at that point in our lives. There’s a fear factorthere.”

CoverKids brings reliefNotknowingwheretoturn,thecouplecalledCoverKidsafterseeingaTVcommercialaboutit.Rachel’sfriend had also told her about theprogram.Whentheycalled,aworker prepared two applications right away. One was for the maternitybenefitsunderCoverKidsHealthyTNBabiesforRachel.The

other was for health coverage under CoverKidsforOlivia.Muchtotheirrelief, both mother and daughter were enrolled in less than three weeks. The couple is now grateful to be able to have quality health care they can afford.

“Mychildhadafeveryesterday.And we were able to take her to the doctor, which happened to be right downthestreet,”notedRachel.“Theselection of doctors is really great. And the copay was only $15, which wasablessing.”

CaringStart gives supportRachel is also thankful for the added support she gets from the CaringStart MaternityProgram.Shortlyafterjoining,shereceivedacallfromaCaringStart nurse who wanted to check on her progress. The nurse also answered some questions she had. Plus, she sent her a wealth of pregnancy information.

The couple said they are appreciative ofthesafetynetthatCoverKidsisproviding their family during a time of need. They are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new baby, which is dueNov.15.

“CoverKidsgivespeopleachancetogetontrackandgetittogether,”Rachel said. “Everyone’s been so nice. It has been such an answer to ourprayers.”

Rachel, 28, is the owner of a message therapy practice. Her husband, Steven,29,ownsaWeb-basedindustrial biotechnology research tool. The Cordova, Tenn., couple work hard to provide for their family. But they cannot afford private insurance for themselves or their 3-year-old daughter, Olivia.

In February, the couple found out they were expecting another child. The news brought both excitement and anxiety. Their biggest concern was how they would be able to keep paying for Olivia’s health care without insurance. They also worried about how they would be able to pay for prenatal care and the delivery.

CoverKids HealthyTNBabies News

Rachel and her daughter, Olivia, now have affordable, quality health care. Rachel receives maternitybenefitsthroughCoverKidsHealthyTNBabies,whileCoverKidsprovides

comprehensive health coverage for Olivia. Pictured are Rachel with husband Steven and Olivia.

for questions about benefits, programs and services

CoverKids & CoverKids HealthyTNbabies most frequently Dialed Numbers

MemberServices: 1-888-325-8386TDDT: 1-866-591-2908

(forhearingimpaired)E-mail: coverkids@bcbst.comWebsite: bcbst.com24/7Nurseline*: 1-866-904-7477HealthInformationLibrary*: 1-800-999-1658DrugBenefitsAppeal: 1-888-343-4232

(faxnumber)CareManagement: 1-800-225-8698CareSmart®DiseaseManagement: 1-888-416-3025CaringStartMaternityProgram: 1-888-416-3025

80 1 Pine StreetChattanooga,TN37402

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Inc., an Independent Licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association

®Registered marks of the BlueCross BlueShield Association, an Association of Independent BlueCross BlueShield Plans

Hablemos español or another language? For more information about alternative formats and interpreter services, call 1-888-325-8386. These services are free to enrollees.

Nooneisdiscriminatedagainstbecauseofrace,sex,religion,color,nationalor ethicgroup,age,disability,ormilitaryservices.Youmayfilewrittencomplaints aboutdiscriminationbywritingtoCoverTennessee,BenefitsAdministration, 26thFloorWRSTennesseeTowers,3128thAve.N.,Nashville,TN37243.

*CVSCaremark,NurselineandHealthInformationLibraryareindependentcompanies orservicesofindependentcompaniesservingCoverKidsandCoverKids

HealthyTNBabiesmembers.

Thisdocumenthasbeenclassifiedaspublicinformation.

This newsletter is not meant to take the place of your doctor’s advice.

for questions about eligibility and enrollmentMemberServices: 1-866-620-8864E-mail: cover.tennessee@

state.tn.usWebsite: covertn.gov

PRSRT STDU.S. PoSTage

PAIDBlUeCRoSS BlUeShielD

of TenneSSee, inC.

Key Points to Remember When your child is no longer eligible for CoverKids

•YourchildisnolongereligibleforCoverKidsonceheorshereaches19.Benefitsarecancelledautomaticallyeffective the last day of your child’s birth month.

If your daughter becomes pregnant• IfyouhaveateenagedaughteronCoverKidswhobecomespregnant,youcanenrollherintoCoverKidsHealthyTNBabiesformaternityhealthinsurance.Sheisnotautomatically covered under this program if she becomes pregnant.ACoverKidsapplicationmustbecompletedforyourpregnantdaughter,andastatementconfirmingherpregnancy must be provided by her doctor.

Applying for CoverKids HealthyTNbabiesThe application is available at http://www.covertn.gov/web/coverkids_app.html.IfyoudonothaveWebaccess,callCoverKidsat1-866-620-8864tohaveanapplicationmailedto you.

FormoreinformationabouteligibilityforCoverKidsorCoverKidsHealthyTNBabies,pleasecallCoverKidsat1-866-620-8864.YoumayalsovisittheCoverTN.govWebsitetogetmoreinformation,downloadanapplication,orevenfillout and submit an application online.

Ifyouhavequestionsaboutbenefits,pleasecontactBlueCrossBlueShieldofTennessee(BCBST)bycalling1-888-325-8386 or going to bcbst.com.

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