Category: Health and Wellness

Louisiana is opening back up. In this podcast, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Healthcare Economist Mike Bertaut talks about the adjustments we are all making and why we can’t let our guard down. Mike also discusses the strong safety net Louisiana currently has for residents who lose their jobs and their health insurance during this pandemic.

Mike talks about the remarkable number of telehealth claims Blue Cross is processing right now, and goes into details about about Blue Cross’ data-sharing partnership with the State of Louisiana, including details on a presentation that Blue Cross’s Chief Analytics & Data Officer, Somesh Nigam, led this week, during the federal Department of Health and Human Services’ Data Science CoLab Demo Day.

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Welcome to our first podcast in the age of COVID-19. In this podcast, Mike and his producer, Lindsey, talk about what has changed at Blue Cross (about 90% of our employees are working from home), along with how we’ve adjusted programs and services for our members. And, he talks about what hasn’t changed — our commitment to continue serving our customers.

Mike explains why it’s vital to continue seeking treatment for regular health concerns. Emergencies like heart attacks and appendicitis don’t stop in the face of a public health crisis, but more Americans are delaying care for them, at a great risk. Mike discusses how telehealth can help you figure out if and when you need to head to the hospital. Read more

In case you missed it, it’s cold and flu season. Hopefully, you are following the advice medical and public health professionals have been giving for years: Get your flu shot, wash your hands regularly, avoid huge crowds, try not to touch your face and, for God’s sake, keep your fingers out of your nose! (Quit denying it, I saw you!) Likewise, if you start to feel bad, running fever and the like, don’t go to work, school or public gatherings, and see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

These habits will serve you well in the face of the latest viral threat, the new coronavirus, formally named COVID-19. Read more

One of the most precious people in my life growing up was my paternal grandmother. Her name was Catherine, and her sisters and brothers called her Kitty.

Kitty was born in 1911, one of nine children, and lived her early life on a sugarcane farm near Donaldsonville, Louisiana. She married her next-door neighbor in 1934. My father, her only child, was born in 1938. Her husband, Carroll II, worked during the Great Depression anywhere he could, including building out the levees after the 1927 flood on the Mississippi River, sweeping the floors at the railroad station, and pumping gas. Read more

Often, when we write here at Straight Talk about how fast innovation and technology move in healthcare, we are talking in grand, sweeping terms about multi-billion dollar investments and really earth-shattering inventions.

It turns out REALLY important healthcare innovation work can be done on a local level, and it’s something we can all use and be proud of. Read more

I’m traveling this week and taking a break from writing. Instead, here is our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Vindell Washington, with a post about keeping your children healthy. Why is this important to talk about on a blog about healthcare costs? Well, for one, it meets Blue Cross’s mission of improving the health and lives of Louisianians. Second, staying healthy is one way to keep healthcare costs down, as well as reduce missed days of school and work. I know that’s important to the people who read this blog.

–        MB 

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