Florida Blue

As we celebrate our 80th Anniversary, we’re also recognizing people who have been part of our journey. Pat Fitzpatrick has been a dedicated team member for 55 years. Pat began her career here in 1969 at the mail desk in what is now our service center, and has since held roles in marketing, market research, statistical, and now human resources. She has also played important roles in facilitating United Way campaigns and other employee events. We congratulate Pat on her incredible Florida Blue career that is still going strong! You help make our mission possible. #FLBlue80 #FlashbackFriday

What do food trucks, haircuts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have in common? Florida Blue supported one of the largest back-to-school bashes in the country. It was raining book bags at Raymond James Stadium to support 30,000 kids headed back to school in #TampaBay. Our West Florida market president and team joined WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil and the Bullard Family Foundation in providing dental services, eye exams, face painting and so much more. Our mission is to help people and communities achieve better health…even if it means donating one book bag at a time. We are committed to our members and the communities that we serve! #community #BTS #backtoschool #TBT

Exciting News! The Florida Blue Foundation is now accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations across the state who are dedicated to advancing maternal health! The Foundation is seeking proposals from Florida-based nonprofits for community-inspired, evidence-based, and sustainable initiatives that: ✅ Improve access to quality maternal health care services; and/or ✅Provide perinatal and postpartum maternal mental health support If your organization is passionate about creating positive change for mothers and babies in Florida, we encourage you to apply! Eligible applicants must complete and submit an online application by Thursday, September 12, 2024, 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Before applying for funding, follow these steps to prepare for submitting your application for the September 12 deadline: 1.   Review our current grant opportunity to see if it aligns with your organization's work. Click here: https://lnkd.in/eErtznt7 2.   Watch the application information webinar for more information on our grant program and the application process. Click here: https://lnkd.in/eJ_C-WJP 3.   Use Google Chrome to access the online application in our grants management system. If your organization is new to the system, we recommend registering at least a week before you submit your application. Click here: https://lnkd.in/eUyT2UyX Let's work together to create a healthier, more equitable future for mothers and babies in Florida!

Congratulations to the University of Florida and the Jacksonville Jaguars on this new partnership to positively impact the community in our headquarters city!   We are proud to be the Jaguars' official community partner and fully support collaborations like this that are positively impacting health outcomes for people across Jacksonville.   We are also proud partners with UF Health Jacksonville, driving access and affordability for health care for our neighbors across the city. They are a great community asset supporting the broader Jacksonville community and serving as an important point of access for underserved parts of our community, while educating the next generation of doctors.  Read the full news release: https://lnkd.in/gm6UJDTC #Jacksonville #UF #Jaguars #Partnership #Health #HealthCare #Community

As National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month wraps up, it’s important to draw attention to the challenges that disproportionally affect the mental health and well-being of racial and ethnic minority groups, who already face similar burdens with physical health. According to a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association report, Black and Hispanic Americans have 31% and 39% lower diagnosis rates of major depression, respectively, compared to white Americans. Some groups also face stigma within their community. In fact, 63% of Black adults see mental health issues as a sign of personal weakness. This perceived stigma is likely a contributing factor to a dire outcome: people of color are 20%-50% less likely to seek mental health care, and 40%-80% more likely to end treatment prematurely. Mental health and well-being are vital to whole person health, which is why Florida Blue believes there is no health without mental health. Mental health advocates have emphasized the need for research of mental health disorders for hundreds of years, but it’s been more limited when it comes to researching well-being. Part of that is due to a lack of a common definition for well-being. Naakesh (Nick) Dewan, M.D. CPE, DLFAPA, FASAM, vice president of Behavioral Health at Florida Blue and GuideWell, explains how a common definition for well-being helps all of us as we work together to better integrate mental health care into whole person health in this article: https://lnkd.in/eHpaRCwG. #MinorityMentalHealthMonth #WellBeing #NoHealthWithoutMentalHealth

Class is almost in session and Florida Blue wants to help you be prepared! Join us for a Back to School event on August 3 at your local Florida Blue Center. Enjoy an exciting morning of school supply giveaways*, community resources, and the opportunity to learn more about member perks. This is a FREE family-friendly event full of fun! Click the link to RSVP: https://bit.ly/3Ugt6ht [Enter your zipcode] *While supplies last. Attendees will be eligible to receive a backpack by visiting a participating Florida Blue Center on August 3, 2024. Limit 3 backpacks per household. Parent or guardian must be present with child(ren).

In our early years, Blue Cross of Florida and Blue Shield of Florida operated as separate organizations. The first provided prepaid health care for hospital expenses, while the latter provided prepaid plans to cover physician’s services. When Blue Cross of Florida and Blue Shield of Florida consolidated in 1980, it brought combined hospital and physician services insurance to Floridians for the first time. This merger also enabled more efficient operations and innovations like health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs). Today as an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, we offer a broad choice of innovative health-related solutions and services to employers, employees, individual consumers, and their families. More than 6 million members across all 67 counties state rely on us for their health coverage. We are proud to be the leading health insurer in Florida and equally proud of our 80-year history of helping people and communities achieve better health. #FLBlue80 #FlashbackFriday

We’re honored to be recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for our commitment to helping people achieve their full potential for health and well-being. Our top priority is making sure the health care system works for everyone in our communities. Learn more: https://bit.ly/38JcWHB #FloridaBlue #healthcare #HealthyPeople2030

Our Florida Blue Medicare team lives out our values by providing exceptional service to our members every day. That's why we are so proud to share Star Ambassador award winners for the first quarter of 2024. These folks go above and beyond — whether working directly with members or behind the scenes — to take care of the people we serve. Congratulations to all of our winners!

We have long understood that all team members, including team members with disabilities, bring skills and talents to the workplace. And our policies and practices reflect that belief. For the 10th year in a row, we are being recognized as a Best Place to Work for #DisabilityInclusion. Learn more about the #DisabilityEqualityIndex via Disability:IN at https://bit.ly/2VD9KH4 #BestPlaceToWork24