Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois works year-round to help protect members and communities against the No. 1 cause of death in the United States: heart disease.
An estimated 680,000 individuals in the U.S. die from heart disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recognition of American Heart Health Month, BCBSIL hosted special events and programming to spread awareness that complements year-round efforts to improve cardiovascular health outcomes.
For example, BCBSIL is working to improve health outcomes by closing gaps in preventive care and condition management through its Quality Innovation Institute.
The effort targets key measures of health care quality and identifies opportunities to improve member outreach, create educational programming and test and implement other interventions that bolster prevention and care outcomes.
“We want our members and communities to have readily available access to high-quality care,” says Dr. Todd Hoffman, one of the clinical leaders in the Quality Innovation Institute. “Focusing on these measures makes an impact on people’s lives. They’re living healthier and more fulfilled lives, and that’s a big deal.”
Heart health month
Throughout American Heart Health Month in February BCBSIL hosted events and programming at Blue Door Neighborhood Center℠ sites in Morgan Park, South Lawndale and Pullman to help participants better understand and manage their cardiovascular health.
That included a panel discussion focused on heart health in the African American community with no-cost healthy food and blood pressure screenings, no-cost CPR certification classes, and lunch and learns in recognition of National Wear Red Day supporting women’s cardiovascular health.
The classes complement year-round heart-forward programming at BDNC sites, including no-cost Zumba and line dancing classes, healthy cooking classes, and partnerships with local organizations such as Dion’s Chicago Dream and T. Castro Produce, which recently teamed up to install a food locker at BDNC Morgan Park that provides residents easy access to fresh food.
“When we first opened BDNC in 2019 we saw that some of our residents were experiencing challenges with heart health,” says Director Laron Taylor. “Positive change can only occur with education, and we’re working throughout the year to improve condition management for heart health and other chronic conditions.”
Working with communities
The health plan partners at the community level to ensure cardiovascular health needs are being met at the hyperlocal level.
Over the past four years, BCBSIL has worked with faith-based nonprofit Cultivating Health Ministries to provide diabetes, hypertension and obesity screenings to McHenry County residents.
Diabetes is a major factor in heart health as those with the condition face twice the risk of developing heart disease. Diabetes can also damage blood vessels and cause high blood pressure and heart attack.
Between 2024-2025, 67% of the 338 individuals screened for diabetes were deemed “high-risk” for developing Type 2 diabetes. Nearly half of those individuals who returned for follow-up significantly improved their glucose scores.
And among the 330 people who screened positive for severe hypertension, 60% of those who returned within a year showed improved numbers while the remaining were connected to their provider for follow-up care.
BCBSIL also travels to communities statewide to promote cardiovascular health through its mobile Care Van® program. The program works with providers and local organizations to educate communities about heart health and other chronic conditions, provide no-cost blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol screenings and immunizations, among other outreach efforts.
The program distributed more than 150 no-cost blood pressure cuffs to Illinois communities in 2025.
“When we meet people where they are, health becomes a shared journey — one where knowledge, trust and community partnership transform risks into measurable progress,” says Stephanie Peden-Fox, senior manager, Illinois Community Outreach. ”