Tipping our hats. For the Health of America.

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, healthcare professionals, transportation workers, grocery store employees, first responders and countless others are working tirelessly to take care of their communities and keep them running. While millions of Americans are being asked to stay inside, these essential workers are on the front lines of the pandemic, sacrificing sleep, isolating from their families and potentially risking their own health.

Across the country, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) companies are creating campaigns, calling their communities to action, telling stories from the front lines and delivering meals and gift baskets to honor these individuals and show their appreciation:

Launching appreciation campaigns

• In California, Blue Shield of California (BS CA) launched an ad campaign across major media markets, social media, audio streaming services and billboards to give front line healthcare workers a voice and shed a light on what they're experiencing. The campaign, titled "Tough," started from grassroots research to find out what doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are dealing with right now—the good and the bad: endless shifts, mask scars, frustration, unity, hope. "The fight is tough," BS CA reminds its front line, "But so are you."
• To show support and gratitude for those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 outbreak and response, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) launched the #GratefulKC campaign. For each use of the #GratefulKC hashtag on social media across the Kansas City community, Blue KC is adding to their donation to the Royals Respond fund, created by Royals Charities. Donated on behalf of the entire greater Kansas City community, this money will help organizations care for those most impacted by the outbreak.
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) is thanking their front line heroes with a #TrueBlueHeroes campaign, launched across social media. The campaign is aimed at all workers on the front line of the pandemic, from healthcare professionals to mail carriers. To participate, BCBSNE is inviting its statewide community to create a sign thanking COVID-19 heroes, share the image on social media and tag it #TrueBlueHeroes.
• To thank the many healthcare professionals across Minnesota whom they work with every day, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (BCBS MN) launched the #HealthHeroesMN campaign. "Today, we recognize that the fight you're up against is daunting," reads the campaign video featuring BCBS MN employees and their families. "But you are not alone. We are all in this together." Minnesotans across the state are invited to share their own messages of thanks across the state using the #HealthHeroesMN hashtag.
• For its second year, Philadelphia's Independence Blue Cross (Independence BC) hosted the Celebrate Caring campaign to recognize healthcare's unsung heroes: its nurses. This year, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, their dedication, strength and caring could not be more important. Over 1,100 nurses were nominated this year. Independence BC announced the winners and honorees on May 6 to kick off National Nurses Week. Among the five winners were Jeff Salvatore, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, who leads a team of nurses staffing the COVID-19 mobile testing site at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's Center City campus; and Kem Mayer, BSN, RN, of Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, who works on a designated COVID-19 floor.
• "We support you, we are thankful for you and we're humbled by your sacrifice," Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island tells its front line workers in a recent video campaign shared across the insurer's social media channels. The simple message, "Thank you," is directed at Rhode Island's doctors, nurses, mail carriers, grocery store workers and other essential personnel who are selflessly putting their health and well-being on the line every day to keep their state safe and healthy.
• In a salute to the efforts of nurses on the front lines of COVID-19, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont produced a video depicting what life is like for nurses and their families. This heartfelt tribute shows two brothers at home alone, on a video call with their mom, a nurse. "Oh my gosh, I love this and it's so true!" one viewer commented. "I'll check in with the kids while I'm working my 12-hour night shift as an RN. They'll have sent a video or pix of them goofing around or baking. Thank you for this!!"

Making deliveries

• The Healthy You Café, located inside Capital BlueCross' Capital Blue health and wellness center, is preparing and delivering meals and snacks across six counties in Pennsylvania. Recipients include firefighters, EMTs, 911 dispatchers, police departments, emergency room staff, behavioral health specialists, community mental health professionals, department of corrections officers, nursing home staff and more. To date, they have delivered over 5,000 meals.
• Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is saying "thank you" to its emergency medical services (EMS) workers by delivering care packages across Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The care packages, filled with snacks, are going to first responders in the community who are working long and intense shifts during the COVID-19 crisis, at times risking their own health to take care of others.

Telling stories from the front lines

• BS CA is shedding light on the experiences of healthcare workers on the front line of the COVID-19 crisis. Through a partnership with the Los Angeles Times, the health insurer is sponsoring the news outlet's podcast, "Coronavirus in California: Stories From the Front Lines." Episodes include "Dispatch from the Emergency Room," "Coronavirus Budget Blues" and "Thank Your Grocery Store Worker Today."

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans.