Capital Health Plan Exceeds Smoking Reduction Goals Set By Healthy People 2010, Two Years Ahead of Schedule

Capital Health Plan (CHP) today announced its members have exceeded smoking reduction goals set by the Healthy People 2010. Healthy People 2010 is a national set of health objectives to be achieved through the first decade of the new century. Currently only 10 percent of CHP members report that they smoke, surpassing the 12 percent goal set by Healthy People 2010. This is great news for the Big Bend area because not smoking is cited as one of the most significant things people can do to improve their health.

“We are incredibly proud of our members’ accomplishments and commitment to their health,” said Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, chief medical officer, Capital Health Plan. “Over the past 8 years, the smoking rate for CHP members has dropped from 18% to 10% which is very good and at less than half the smoking rate for Florida in general “.

It is important to recognize these reductions have not happened overnight. They have required hard work and commitment on the part of Capital Health Plan members and healthcare providers. Just a decade ago, more than 40 percent of CHP members were smokers. CHP members are not only leading the way in Florida, they lead the nation as well. The national adult smoking level is above 20 percent and has been stuck there for the past four years.

If you would like to learn more about smoking cessation, CHP suggests the following resources:

  • As a CHP member the CHP Health Coachingprogram is available online at Capitalhealth.com and by phone (850-383-3400), offering 24/7 wellness advice and support.
  • Florida Quit Line: Toll Free at (877) 822-6669 supported by the Florida Department of Health. This telephone support line provides educational materials and telephone counseling to those interested in smoking cessation.
  • Freedom from Smoking Class: The American Lung Association of Florida offers their Freedom from Smoking® program online at www.ffsonline.org. This online program allows you to complete the program at your own pace, while still receiving valuable tips and tools to help you break the nicotine addiction. You may also call 1-800-LUNG-USA to receive additional support.
  • Quit Smoking Now: A six-session free program offered by Big Bend Area Health Education Center. This is an evidence-based program that incorporates the Clinical Practice Guidelines for treating tobacco use and dependence. To register or learn more call (850) 227-1177.

“Preventative care is the best medicine,” said John Hogan, CHP president and CEO. “By focusing our attention on prevention, we are making an investment in the health of our community and helping to ensure a better future for our children.”

Ranked the #1 health plan in Florida by the 2008 U.S. News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) in its ranking of “America’s Best Health Plans 2008”, CHP focuses on preventative programs designed to help members develop healthy habits for life. Resources ranging from weight loss to smoking cessation and advanced screening to immunization are available to plan members from their doctors or online and by phone 24 hours a day.

Healthy People 2010 focuses on smoking cessation initiatives like those pursued by CHP for more than two decades. The 1979 Surgeon General's Report, Healthy People, and Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives both established national health objectives and served as the basis for the development of state and community plans. Like its predecessors, Healthy People 2010 was developed through a broad consultation process, built on the best scientific knowledge and designed to measure programs over time. To learn more about this initiative visit: www.healthypeople.govexternal link icon.

 

Capital Health Plan, the area’s only non-profit local health plan, is an affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and provides health care coverage for more than 112,000 people in Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla and Jefferson counties. For more information about Capital Health Plan, please visit: www.capitalhealth.comexternal link icon.