Health Outreach Programs
AmeriHealth Caritas is a national leader in removing barriers to care for those in need and chronically ill populations. Responding to their needs takes creativity and long-term commitment.
In collaboration with local health care providers, advocates, and civic leaders, we have created breakthrough health care programs that are leading the way in Medicaid managed care innovation and health care reform.
From preventive screenings to community celebrations, discover how we help improve the lives and health of children and families through preventive care and better access to health care services and education.
Dental programs: Helping members share a smile
Because oral health plays an important role in overall physical health, we treat it as a core function rather than an extra service. We have improved the health outcomes of our members through:
- Treating dental care as part of whole-person health. We include physical health screenings at the dentist’s office. These screenings include blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), blood tests, and more, and results are shared with members’ primary care providers. Through our Oral Care Connect program, we also partner with primary care providers and OB/GYNs to help make dental care a priority for their asthmatic, diabetic, and pregnant patients.
- Bringing dental care right to doorsteps. Through initiatives such as our Toothy Tune Up program, we partner with local hospitals and dental schools to bring mobile, preventive dental care into the communities we serve.
- Offering extra benefits for members at higher risk for dental decay and cavities, including up to four covered annual cleanings.
Committed to kids: Children's wellness programs
We tackle important children's health issues, such as asthma and obesity. Our focus on preventive care; Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT); and health education is the key to keeping kids healthy in school and at home.
Healthy Hoops®: Battling asthma and obesity
Healthy Hoops helps kids on and off the court. We created this hands-on basketball event to reduce preventable emergency room visits and improve quality of life for children ages 3 to 18. Healthy Hoops teaches kids, parents, and communities how to manage children’s asthma and other health conditions through:
- Appropriate use of medication.
- Proper nutrition.
- Monitored exercise.
- Recreational activities.
Since the program's 2002 debut in Philadelphia, we've expanded Healthy Hoops to Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
More than 50,000 children and their families of all languages and backgrounds have participated. And the program is not just for AmeriHealth Caritas members — we promote each event to the entire community regardless of insurance coverage, even arranging transportation to help ensure we reach as many children as possible. We also offer educational workshops for school nurses, coaches, physical education teachers, child care providers, and more.
More than
50,000
children and families involved
More than
3,500
health screenings completed
More than
200
community-facing events
Diabetes management for healthy lifestyles
Our diabetes program, offered in collaboration with local partners like the YMCA, uses in-person educational sessions to improve the health of members with Type 2 diabetes. Members who have difficulty managing their diabetes are invited to participate in the program, which helps teach them about healthy choices and diabetes management through:
- Personalized wellness coaching.
- Tailored exercise plans.
- Nutrition workshops.
- Cooking demonstrations.
They also have blood sugar screenings and other related tests performed at the beginning and end of the program to track their progress.
Women's health: Mammograms and cervical cancer screenings
We encourage women to be proactive about their health by keeping up with necessary screenings and health care visits. But for many of our members, transportation issues, lack of awareness, and fear can be significant barriers to care. So AmeriHealth Caritas takes life-saving screenings and health education straight to our members’ neighborhoods.
Our women's health programs:
- Team with local hospitals and mobile mammography vans to bring vital screenings to convenient places like shopping centers and supermarkets. Women older than age 40 who have never had a screening, or who have gone without one for more than two years, can get help scheduling an appointment.
- Hold Pap screenings for cervical cancer in neighborhood locations, in collaboration with local providers. Like mammography, we contact noncompliant members and offer them incentives to keep these critical appointments.
Health Empowerment Tour: Inspiring healthy lifestyles
The Health Empowerment Tour is a health education program that focuses on whole-person wellness. It offers a range of awareness and prevention information about diabetes, heart health, obesity, stroke prevention, hypertension, medication adherence, mental and emotional health, and more.
These custom wellness programs teach people in all stages of their health journeys how to help prevent and treat various health conditions and manage their overall well-being.
Health Empowerment Tour, Jr.
Health Empowerment Tour, Jr. provides children of all ages from elementary school through high school with custom wellness programs on topics such as:
- Exercise and nutrition.
- Mental and emotional health.
- Healthy relationships.
- Cybersecurity.
- The importance of continued education, job preparedness, and financial preparedness.
These interactive, informational workshops are customizable to fit the needs of the audience and often include on-site resources and support at no cost to attendees.
A Bright Start® for mothers and babies
Support for maternal health before, during, and after pregnancy
Early prenatal care is the first step toward a healthy, full-term delivery. That’s why at AmeriHealth Caritas, we engage with our expecting members through our Bright Start program. With its focus on maternal care, Bright Start works to improve birth outcomes and reduce pregnancy-related complications through early prenatal education and intervention.
The program connects with mothers-to-be with care coordination and educational needs, and addresses various issues throughout the member’s pregnancy and the postpartum period. Bright Start offers a multifaceted approach to engagement through innovative programming, technology, member incentives, and provider partnerships to address the diverse needs of our birthing population and at-risk children.
Our goal is to help ensure our members have the support they need for a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby. We want to be sure they:
- Sign up for childbirth and other health information classes
- Choose the right provider for themselves and their baby’s needs
- Have information on staying healthy with prenatal vitamins, nutritious food, exercise, and connections to essential resources and support
- Work closely with their provider and other health care professionals to access the whole-person care they need
