First Choice makes going back to school easy and fun in Columbia
July 23, 2019
10th Annual Jump-Start Back-to-School event offers health screenings, school supplies, backpacks and more
Select Health of South Carolina’s First Choice health plan will host its 10th annual Jump-Start Back-to-School event, featuring back-to-school information, health screenings, children’s activities, and backpacks with school supplies provided at no cost (while quantities last). The event will be held Friday, July 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the First Choice Community Center, 217 Park Terrace Dr., Suite 100, Columbia, SC, 29212. Participants are asked to register in advance by calling 1-888-676-9588. Select Health of South Carolina is the state’s oldest and largest Medicaid managed care organization and is part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies.
“This year, we will serve more than 1,000 Columbia-area families with school-aged children, helping make sure they’re healthy and ready for the new school year,” said Addie Bors, director of community education at Select Health. “We’re very fortunate that more than 20 health care providers, agencies and community partners are willing to join us and help children get the checkups and school supplies they need.”
Jump Start has served more than 14,000 families in the last 10 years and has now been expanded to locations throughout the state. Select Health’s bilingual staff will assist Spanish-speaking families, and interpretation services will be available for attendees with limited English proficiency.
“Good health is proven to help children perform their best in school,” said Dr. Kirt Caton, market chief medical officer at Select Health. “School-age children up to age 21 need yearly well visits with a primary care physician, and our staff can help First Choice members schedule these appointments with their doctors.”
There are three more Jump-Start Back-to-School events coming this summer: Saturday, August 3 in Beaufort; Saturday, August 10 in Conway, SC, and Friday, August 16 in Spartanburg, SC. Learn more by calling 1-888-676-9588 or by visiting http://www.selecthealthofsc.com/community/index.aspx.
About First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina
Select Health of South Carolina, part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, contracts with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) to offer First Choice, the state’s oldest and largest Medicaid managed care health plan, in all 46 counties statewide. Select Health’s First Choice health plan is the top-rated Medicaid health plan in South Carolina, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2015 – 2016, 2016 – 2017, 2017 – 2018 and 2018 – 2019. First Choice was the top-ranked Medicaid health plan in South Carolina per NCQA from 2010 – 2011 to 2014 – 2015. First Choice is the first health plan in South Carolina to earn NCQA’s Multicultural Health Care Distinction, an honor it has achieved five times since 2011. For more information about First Choice by Select Health, visit www.selecthealthofsc.com.
Select Health also offers the First Choice VIP Care Plus Medicare-Medicaid plan in 40 South Carolina counties. For more information about First Choice VIP Care Plus, visit www.firstchoicevipcareplus.com.
About AmeriHealth Caritas
AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation’s leaders in health care solutions for those most in need. Operating in 11 states and the District of Columbia, AmeriHealth Caritas serves more than 5 million Medicaid, Medicare, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) members through its integrated managed care products, pharmaceutical benefit management and specialty pharmacy services, and behavioral health services. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas is a mission-driven organization with more than 35 years of experience serving low-income and chronically ill populations. AmeriHealth Caritas is part of the Independence Health Group in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com.
