Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Offers Third Dental Cleaning and Periodontal Maintenance Visit to Pregnant and Diabetic Members

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week -- A dental exam can reveal signs of diseases and infections, such as diabetes and periodontitis (a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone that supports the teeth). This is why many doctors and dentists view the mouth as a mirror to what's taking place inside a person's body. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield understands the link between dental health and overall health, which is one of the reasons why the company developed a program that connects the full and complete health of its dental and health members via the "Anthem Whole Health Connection?" program (see also Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield).

Effective January 1, 2015, members who participate in Anthem's Dental Blue, Dental Prime or Dental Complete1 plans and are actively managed in one of the company's Diabetic or Maternal Health Care Management programs will be identified and automatically enrolled at no cost for an extra dental cleaning or periodontal maintenance procedure per benefit period. Anthem will reach out to these members informing them of the additional (no cost) benefit.

Good dental health and the right dental coverage are extremely important for expectant mothers and individuals with chronic medical conditions like diabetes. During a pregnancy there are a number of hormonal changes that take place that make the periodontal tissues more susceptible to inflammatory processes, one which increases the risk of developing gingivitis or periodontal disease. In addition, periodontal disease potentially contributes to adverse outcomes of pregnancy as a consequence of a chronic oral inflammatory bacterial infection. And, per the Surgeon General, toxins or other products generated by periodontal bacteria in the mother may reach the general circulation, cross the placenta and harm the fetus2. Furthermore, there is growing acceptance that diabetes is associated with the increased occurrence and progression of periodontitis - so much so that periodontitis has been called the sixth complication of diabetes (for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes)3.

"At Anthem, we understand the importance of creating and supporting programs that are designed to help our members maintain healthy pregnancies and manage diseases like diabetes," said Dr. Barry Malinowski, Vice President and Medical Director for Anthem in Ohio. "Even though we recognized American Diabetes Month® and Prematurity Awareness Month® a few months ago, our programs are designed to help our members manage their health throughout the year."

In a study conducted by the National Association of Dental Plans, 62 percent of employers viewed dental benefits as an essential component of their benefits package4. However, dental care is more than just teeth. Anthem's "Whole Health Connection" integrated program connects dental and health care in a way that provides invaluable care for individuals.

"Dental benefits are one of the most valued benefits employers can offer their employees," said Malinowski. "We believe our integrated dental and health care program will provide employers with access to holistic care that helps keep their employees healthy, while also lowering the employer's health care costs. Our program helps address long-term health care costs and also helps detect at-risk employees so they can receive appropriate care. It's a win-win situation for everyone." Sources: 1-Extra cleaning benefit applies to Dental Prime and Dental Complete products (excluding plans sold in Connecticut) and Dental Blue products (excluding plans sold in Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York and Virginia). Extra cleaning benefits do not apply to Qualified Health Plans and Qualified Dental Plans (also commonly referred to as Affordable Health Care products).2-http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/SurgeonGeneral/sgr/chap5.htm.3- Loe H. Periodontal disease-the sixth complication of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 1993 Jan;16(1):329-34.).4-NADP, Purchaser Behavior Study, 2008. About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Community Insurance Company, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/healthjoinin, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthJoinIn, or visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/healthjoinin.

Keywords for this news article include: Periodontitis, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

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