ADH launches Be Well Arkansas

ADH launches Be Well Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) recently launched Be Well Arkansas, an enhancement of previous tobacco cessation services, to provide Arkansans with resources to improve their health and well-being.

In Arkansas, the leading causes of death include stroke, heart disease and cancer. The good news is that many illnesses can be managed, or even prevented, with access to the right resources. With Be Well Arkansas, ADH Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program staff serve as Wellness Counselors, answering calls from Arkansans who are interested in improving their health. Wellness Counselors are able to provide counseling over the phone and connect people to online and text resources, and services that may be available to them through their insurance plans, if they have insurance. This service will also offer local, in-person cessation counseling as an option for callers.

Wellness services, including tobacco and nicotine cessation and wellness counseling for diabetes and blood pressure control, are accessible by calling 833-283-WELL or visiting the ADH’s Be Well Arkansas webpages. The public can also access these pages through Be-WellArkansas.org.

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Arkansas Blue Cross offers tips to protect Arkansans from phone scams

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield has been made aware of a recent upsurge in “robocalls” that falsely claim to be made by “Blue Cross Blue Shield.” The calls appear to market insurance products by using the Blue Cross and Blue Shield brands and coincide with current enrollment periods.

Here are some guidelines on how to tell if a call is from a legitimate Arkansas Blue Cross and steps that may be taken to verify the authenticity of such calls. Arkansas Blue Cross personnel will never:

• Ask for a bank account number

• Ask for an entire Social Security number

• Ask about health information without first verifying the member’s identity

• Call after 9 p.m. Central Time Arkansas Blue Cross representatives will always:

• Introduce themselves and fully identify the company they represent

• Identify a customer’s health plan, if it is through an employer. (Example: “This is Mary Jones from Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield calling about your plan with ABC Company … ”)

• Mention that the call is being recorded for training and quality purposes.