Anthem Blue Cross Sponsors Lake Tahoe Winter Ski Festival to Help Wounded Veterans Lead Active Lives

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- For the eighth year in a row, Anthem Blue Cross is supporting the Disabled Sports USA Warfighter Sports program to help severely injured service men and women rebuild their lives through sports. Anthem is giving $25,000 in support to this year's winter ski event (see also Anthem Blue Cross).

The 2017 Ability Celebration and Winter Ski Festival will host approximately 28 wounded warfighters and their families free of cost. They will receive instruction in adaptive alpine skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling through Achieve Tahoe at four ski resorts in the north Lake Tahoe region of California January 24 through January 29. Through a combination of Anthem Foundation grants and corporate sponsorships, Anthem has given DSUSA over $800,000 since 2009 in support of the Warfighter Sports program and other winter and summer activities.

"At Anthem, we are very proud to once again be the lead sponsor for this ski event," said Mike Wozny, president of Anthem Life. "For over 75 years, Anthem Blue Cross has provided access to quality and affordable care. We are committed to helping people with disabilities get back to health, back to work and back to life, and this event is one way we can support those who have served our country."

Warfighter Sports offers sports rehabilitation for severely wounded warfighters in major military hospitals and communities across the U.S. through a nationwide network of more than 120 community-based chapters. Since 1967, Disabled Sports USA has proudly served wounded warfighters, including those injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, offering more than 40 winter and summer sports at more than 100 events each year.

"Because of the powerful explosive devices used by the enemy in the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, our wounded warfighters return with very severe injuries," said Kirk Bauer, executive director, Disabled Sports USA and a disabled Vietnam veteran. "Our warfighters have gone from the peak of their performance to lying flat on their back fighting pain, infections and dealing with multiple surgeries. This understandably leads to very low morale, depression and loss of self-confidence. Our Warfighter Sports program engages them in sports, such as skiing, which helps to rebuild their self-confidence, self-esteem and enables them to begin to lead an active life again. These opportunities are provided free of cost to all warfighters thanks to the tremendous support of Anthem Blue Cross." About Anthem Blue Cross Life and Disability products underwritten by Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company. Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. To learn more about Specialty benefits, visit www.specialtybenefits.info/ca/. About Achieve Tahoe Achieve Tahoe is a North Lake Tahoe-based non-profit organization that provides year-round outdoor recreation programs for children and adults with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities. The organization, founded in 1967 and long known as Disabled Sports USA Far West, is the longest operating adaptive sports program in the country, and was designed to provide affordable, inclusive physical and recreational activities that build health and confidence. To learn more or to help, visit www.achievetahoe.org. About Warfighter Sports Warfighter Sports, a program of Disabled Sports USA, offers sports rehabilitation for wounded warfighters with permanent physical disabilities in military hospitals and communities across the U.S. in partnership with a nationwide network of over 120 community-based chapters. Since 1967, Disabled Sports USA has proudly served wounded warfighters, including those injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, offering over 50 winter and summer sports at more than 100 events each year. Warfighter Sports rebuilds lives through sports by improving self-confidence, promoting independence and uniting families through shared healthy activities.

Contributions cover all expenses for participation of the warfighter and a family member, including individualized adaptive instruction, adaptive sports equipment, transportation, lodging and meals. Since 2003, more than 10,000 of the most severely wounded and their families have been served, including those with amputations, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, visual impairments, and significant nerve and muscle damage. For more information, visit www.warfightersports.org. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170126006127/en/

Keywords for this news article include: Hospital, Health Insurance, Anthem Blue Cross.

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