BlueCross BlueShield Member Story

Overcoming Barriers In A New Country With Care Coordination

When Isabella arrived in the U.S., everything felt overwhelming. She was new to the country, had no support outside of her immediate family, and her husband had recently been in a car accident. She had little income, limited transportation, and a language barrier that made it difficult to navigate the U.S. healthcare system. On top of that, she was preparing for the arrival of her baby but had no crib or car seat and could not afford them. Due to a recent infection, as well as tuberculosis diagnosis, she needed medication but couldn’t pick it up due to lack of reliable transportation. She was also dealing with being billed incorrectly for her baby’s doctor visits, adding more stress.

Isabella was connected with a Care Coordinator through BCBSIL who immediately arranged a translator on the phone so she could share her needs in Russian. Together, they reviewed her postpartum care plan. The Care Coordinator connected Isabella with ModivCare for transportation to and from appointments and the pharmacy, and even arranged to have her antibiotics delivered to her home. They also referred her to Brave Health so she could begin receiving care virtually. Her Care Coordinator also went over how Medicaid works in Illinois and explained different social services she was eligible for.

Isabella was referred to Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) so she could receive formula, as she was advised by her doctor to formula feed. WIC also provided breast pump in case she was cleared to breastfeed. To relieve financial strain, Special Beginnings provided her with a cribette, and connected to the Lurie Buckle Up program for a car seat. Finally, her Care Coordinator called the clinic directly to correct the billing issue so she no longer had to pay out of pocket for her baby’s well visits. 

Thanks to this support, she felt reassured, equipped, and grateful. She was able to care for her baby safely while adjusting to life in a new country.