Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will be awarding more than $1.6 million in Healthy Kids, Healthy Families grants to 12 Texas organizations in order to fight against and raise awareness about Chronic Kidney Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Organizations were chosen for their work educating and managing CKD and COPD conditions, as well as their ability to decrease emergency room visits and increase primary care engagement. In communities with education and outreach events about CKD, medical spending decreased $103 per member, per month compared to areas without outreach, according to Richardson-based BCBSTX.
“It’s important for us to collaborate with organizations that are making a difference in changing people’s lives through various outreach and education programs,” said Dr. Dan McCoy, president, BCBSTX via release. “When we launched this strategy we knew that this was the right thing to do for this health epidemic in Texas, because as a company what we do in the community is for everyone. Our members benefit from these efforts, but so does the entire community.”
HKHF began in 2011 started as a three-year initiative meant to improve the health of one million children, but has been extended by BCBSTX. It centers on nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management, and has included $13.9 million in grants since its inception.
After vetting and review for feasibility, impact, and other measures, this year’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Families grant recipients include, via release:
- American Lung Association: Leading the fight for healthy lungs and air as well as on eliminating tobacco use and related lung disease.
- National Kidney Foundation: Dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease.
- It’s Time Texas: Focused on dramatically improving the landscape of health and wellness in Texas.
- Texas Kidney Foundation: Fighting kidney disease through awareness, education, and prevention resources.
- Shannon Medical Center: Through its Shannon Medical Center-San Angelo Diabetes Coalition – a program that includes kidney screenings and education on managing CKD.
- Bexar County Community Health Collaborative: Uses a synergistic approach to solving critical community health needs in the Bexar County region.
- MHP Salud: A national nonprofit organization that implements and runs Community Health Worker programs that provide peer health education, increase access to health resources and bring community members closer.
- University of Houston Victoria: In conjunction with the Victoria County Public Health Department supports a program that will target kidney disease in at-risk populations.
- El Paso Children’s Hospital: To support the children’s hospital mission in providing pediatric diabetes research and education.
- Texas CASA: To support statewide child advocacy programs that provide a safe and positive future for all Texas children.
- The Caring Foundation of Texas: A mobile immunizations program that provides access to immunizations, oral care and health education for uninsured and medically underserved children throughout Texas.
- Baylor Health Care Foundation: To support the Baylor Scott & White Health and Wellness Center’s health screening initiatives including chronic kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.
