Anthem Blue Cross Health Care Gives the Gift of Health to Californians

Anthem Blue Cross is giving the gift of health to Californians as the Anthem Blue Cross Health care Bus travels the state offering free health evaluations. Launched last year December from the Anthem offices in Woodland Hills, California, the bus will depart on a multi-city tour to include Los Angeles, Ventura, Oxnard, Ojai, Fresno, Sacramento and San Francisco.

"On board the Anthem Blue Cross Health Fair Bus visitors will receive, free-of-charge, a health evaluation consists of a full lipid panel; weight, height and waist measurements; blood pressure test; and Body Mass Index analysis. Together, these tests provide a snapshot of one's personal health," explained Leslie A.

Margolin, president of Anthem Blue Cross. "Anthem is also committed to the community, offering this service regardless of employment, immigration or insurance status. By proactively empowering individuals with vital, personal, medical information, we are taking an important step toward keeping Californians healthy with their insurance plans."

"We're particularly excited about this tour because we'll be reaching several populations that might not necessarily have access to basic primary healthcare," noted Margolin. "For example, in the greater Los Angeles area we are partnering with strong community organizations such as the Urban League, P.A.T.H. (People Assisting the Homeless) and the Kedren Community Mental Health Center -- offering the free health screenings to their constituents. Anthem is committed to improving the lives of the people we serve and the health of our communities."

The Washington Post-ABC News poll found 57 percent of Americans either strongly or somewhat support "having the government create a new health insurance plan to contend with private health insurance plans." Some 40 percent said they were strongly or somewhat conflicting to the so-called public option, which President Barack Obama has said he favors but does not consider a non-negotiable component of any health care reform.

The vision of a government-administered health care program faces steep opposition from many in Congress, particularly in the Senate, though House Speaker Democrat Nancy Pelosi has said any House of Representatives bill will include such an option.The poll, which questioned 1,004 adults between October 15-18, also found support among a majority of the US population for a law that would require all Americans to have health insurance.

Barack Obama has said universal coverage is necessary to bring costs down across the board, and 51 percent of Americans said they would support mandatory coverage, while 47 percent were opposed. One issue on which there was broad agreement was the effect any health care reform would likely have on the US deficit, which has ballooned amid US government stimulus spending. Only 10 percent of those surveyed believed claims that health care reform could decrease the deficit, while 68 said they expected it would increase the US deficit.

But for 31 percent of Americans, an increase would be a worthwhile tradeoff for universal health care plans, the poll found, compared to 37 percent, who said reform would not be worth the deficit increase.