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-- Press Kit -- News Release Participating Shops Fact Sheet - Baltimore Program Fact Sheet - Washington DC Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 1, 2007) - Customers who patronize select Washington, D.C. barber shops and hair salons can now get more than a cut or some color. Hair, Heart & Health (HHH) is a collaborative program from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) and MedStar Research Institute, through which barbers and hair stylists are trained to conduct blood pressure and obesity screening right in their shops to help identify individuals at risk for heart disease, stroke, and end-stage kidney disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in African-Americans. The HHH program embraces the notion that health education at the community level is an effective intervention strategy for preventable diseases such as CHD, stroke and kidney disease. Trained barbers and stylists participating in the program will help their customers identify CHD risk factors such as high blood pressure and obesity and even provide referrals to health care providers or designated health clinics when appropriate. CareFirst is contributing nearly $200,000 to fund the first year of the program.

“A key part of CareFirst’s mission is to find innovative, meaningful ways to address health care disparities in the communities we serve,” said David D. Wolf, CareFirst Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Hair, Heart & Health program does just that. It takes valuable preventive health care services to people who can benefit directly from the program.”

The HHH program is modeled after and expands upon a similar, successful effort launched in Baltimore City, MD in 2006. Five Washington, D.C. shops are currently participating in the program and MedStar Research Institute plans to recruit a total of 12 shops to participate by the end of 2007.

“We are delighted to partner with CareFirst in this important effort to identify Washingtonians at high risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, and to find innovative approaches to disease prevention, said Neil J. Weissman, M.D., President of MedStar Research Institute.

The HHH program in Washington, D.C. is aimed at reaching African-American male and female adults, 18 years and older. MedStar is recruiting shops and salons in communities with high African-American populations to participate in the program.

“African-Americans are less likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease yet more likely to die from the condition than members of the non-Hispanic Caucasian population,” said Dr. Jon Shematek, CareFirst Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President. “That kind of disparity is striking and calls out for programs that give people access to services that can identify those at risk for the disease. We think this will be a valuable program in the District.”

In Baltimore, 13 barbershops and salons participate in the HHH program under a Collaborative effort between CareFirst and the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). Since the start of the effort, more than 1,800 individuals have been screened for high-blood pressure at participating locations by trained barbers and stylists and outreach specialists working with the UMSOM. Approximately 80 percent of all individuals screened for the first time reported at least one cardiovascular risk factor.

In the Washington program, all screening will be conducted by MedStar trained barbers and stylists. The program expands on the Baltimore effort by training participants to take height and weight measurements for use in calculating Body Mass Index to screen for obesity. The program is funded for 2007 and into 2008, and may be extended if the effort produces positive impacts for the community.

In its 71st year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to nearly 3.2 million individuals and groups in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland. Through its CareFirst Commitment initiative and other public mission activities, CareFirst supports efforts to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas.

MedStar Research Institute is the research center of MedStar Health, the Baltimore-Washington area's largest health care delivery system. The mission of MedStar Research Institute is to support the academic platform of MedStar Health by conducting high-quality translational and health sciences research throughout the MedStar system. As the trusted leader in caring for patients and advancing health, MedStar Health is committed to advancing health through innovative research.

Click here for a list of currently participating shops and salons.

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