Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Partnership Plan Sponsors Efforts to Help Increase Childhood Vaccination Rate in the State of Nevada

LAS VEGAS, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Good nutrition and regular check ups are vital to helping a baby grow healthy, but a cornerstone to healthy development is ensuring infants and toddlers receive their regularly scheduled immunizations. During National Immunization Week, April 21st through April 28th, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Partnership Plan (Anthem Partnership Plan) joins efforts nationwide to raise awareness and provide Anthem members with access to valuable information about when children should receive immunizations.

To help increase the immunization rate locally, beginning April 22, Anthem will be offering parents the opportunity to have their children immunized for free at four immunization clinics throughout the local Las Vegas area.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Nevada currently ranks 49th in the nation for vaccination rates and, 1 out of every 3 Nevada children are not fully protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. “These numbers are very concerning to us and we want parents to have access to care and all the necessary information to help ensure our pediatric members are receiving the proper immunizations,” said David Blackman, Nevada statewide director for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Partnership Plan and Anthem’s Las Vegas Community Resource Center.

Children will receive most of their immunizations in the first few years of their life, and they provide lifelong protection against potentially deadly childhood diseases such as polio, measles, and chicken pox. Childhood vaccines can even help prevent common illnesses such as childhood ear infections and pneumonia.

Although there is much information available about the importance of immunizations, Blackman explains that parents often find the immunization schedule complicated and difficult to understand. “Our health plan and local Community Resource Center provides parents with educational materials and resources to help them immunize their children at the appropriate times,” added Blackman.

Some parents are still hesitant to immunize because of the many myths that exist about vaccinations. “Many parents have never seen the diseases that vaccines are trying to prevent and some parents are concerned their child will experience a side effect of the immunization,” said Blackman. “We work with our members to reassure them that most children experience only mild symptoms such as swelling or irritation at the injection site, or a low grade fever, which usually lasts less than a day and can be treated with Tylenol so that children are comfortable.”

Parents should also become familiar with the places they can have their children immunized. Pediatricians or family practice physicians can immunize all members of the family; in addition, parents can often find resources in their local communities to have children immunized at either low cost or no cost. “Your local health department, schools and community healthy fairs often host immunization events and provide convenient locations to have children immunized,” said Blackman. “Members of Anthem’s Partnership plan have access to all immunizations at no cost as a part of their medical benefits,” explained Blackman.

Although immunizations are important in childhood, teenagers and adults can also receive immunizations to protect against communicable diseases. Gardisil, a vaccine newly recommended for teenage and young adult women can help prevent female cervical cancer. Parents of teens should schedule a check- up with their doctor to review their vaccine needs.

During this week, Anthem is also saluting the efforts of local physicians who are dedicated to working with parents and community health partners to help immunize children. Local pediatrician Mario C. Carin, MD, has been identified by Anthem as one of the outstanding primary care providers in the Anthem network. “In 2006 Dr. Carin’s pediatric practice achieved childhood immunization rates of 85 percent,” said Blackman. “We are pleased to salute Dr. Carin and his practice for their commitment and dedication to provide our members with quality care,” added Blackman.

Adults are encouraged to speak with their physicians to identify what immunizations are necessary for them. Anthem recommends that its members maintain an open dialogue with their physicians about immunizations for all members of the family. Anthem Partnership Plan members can get answers to their questions about when to immunize their children by calling Anthem’s Community Resource Center at (702) 669-5180.

Anthem will be participating in several events where parents can have their children immunized for free:

    — Sunday, April 22, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. — Clark County Fire Station       20, 5170 Judson, Las Vegas     — Wednesday, April 25, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. —  Nevada Health Centers –       Martin Luther King, Jr. Health Center, 1700 Wheeler Peak Drive, North       Las Vegas.     — Wednesday, April 25, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. — Nevada Health Centers –       Cambridge Family Health Center, 3900 Cambridge Ave., Ste. 102, Las       Vegas.     — Wednesday, April 25 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. – Nevada Health Centers – North       Las Vegas Clinic, 2031 McDaniel Street, North Las Vegas.   

HMO Colorado, Inc., dba Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Partnership Plan is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. (R) Anthem is a registered trademark. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Nevada

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s mission is to improve the lives of the people it serves. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Nevada is a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. . WellPoint, Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through HealthLink and UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at http://www.wellpoint.com/.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

CONTACT: Leslie Porras of WellPoint, Inc., +1-805-557-6745, for AnthemBlue Cross and Blue Shield

Web site: http://www.wellpoint.com/