Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana Releases State He...( Indiana ranks 43rd Nationwide in Hea...),Health

Indiana ranks 43rd Nationwide in Health Status; Anthem Develops Innovative

Program to Track and Improve the Health of Hoosiers

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana today launched its new State Health Index, a program that incorporates public health data to identify and help address major health issues in the state. Anthem has assembled a dedicated team to collaborate with local and state officials, as well as community organizations, to research the reasons behind the prevalent health deficiencies and to design policy solutions and implement or enhance programs aimed at improving overall health in the state.

Developed from data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the State Health Index ranks Indiana 43rd in the nation based on a comprehensive assessment of 23 measures of health status. Anthem has selected the following measures of improvement for its focus during the first several years of the State Health Index program as they have the most potential to be positively influenced by the actions of the company: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birthweight infant rate, adult influenza immunization rate, adult pneumoncoccal immunization rate, physical activity levels, cigarette smoking rate, diabetes in adult population and heart disease death rate.

"As the largest health insurer in the state, we have a unique responsibility to understand and improve not only the health of our members, but also the overall health of the communities in which they live," said Robert W. Hillman, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana president. "The State Health Index will provide Indiana and our public and private partners-state and local government, insurers, health care professionals and consumers-with a roadmap to guide our work to improve the overall health of our state."

The State Health Index has revealed three particular public health issues to be a
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