Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Meijer Pharmacy today announced a regionally focused collaborative with services agencies to offer homebound individuals and people with disabilities COVID-19 vaccines. The effort will provide a local, convenient and access-sensitive environment for people still facing barriers in receiving vaccinations.
Meijer Pharmacy is dedicating COVID-19 vaccine supply to individuals through walk-ins or by scheduling their vaccine in advance and ensuring a safe and accessible environment for persons with physical or behavioral disabilities. Disability agency partners will be communicating to their consumer networks, assisting with appointment scheduling and transportation as available. Blue Cross is leading coordination across the state, including outreach to Blue Cross, Blue Care Network and Blue Cross Complete members still in need of a COVID-19 vaccination and providing financial support to agencies to mitigate related costs for the initiative.
Individuals and caregivers can schedule COVID-19 vaccinations by texting “HEALTH” to 75049, a specified code for people with disabilities requiring possible accommodations within vaccination environments. Individuals can also visit https://clinic.meijer.com/ to start their vaccine scheduling process.
“Blue Cross is proud to join Meijer Pharmacy and organizations across the state to increase opportunities for people with disabilities in need of a COVID-19 vaccine,” said Suzanne Miller Allen, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan senior director of Community Responsibility and Social Mission. “Providing vulnerable populations access to information, resources and COVID-19 testing was a target for our organization at the onset of the pandemic, and as we continue reaching State of Michigan-directed vaccine milestones, Blue Cross remains focused on ensuring all Michiganders have equitable access in getting vaccinations and overall, improving their health and well-being.”
Nonprofit partner organizations and entities participating in the collaborative include:
- Southeast Michigan
- Autism Alliance of Michigan
- Disability Network Oakland & Macomb
- Easterseals
- Michigan Parkinson Foundation
- MORC
- United Cerebral Palsy Association of Michigan
- East Michigan/Thumb
- Do-All, Inc.
- SVRC Industries, Inc.
- The Disability Network – Flint
- Mid-Michigan
- Disability Network Capital Area
- West Michigan
- Disability Advocates Kent County
- Northern Michigan/Upper Peninsula
- Bay Cliff
- Disability Network of Northern Michigan
“Our pharmacy teams continue working diligently to vaccinate as many people as possible and help keep our communities safe,” Meijer Pharmacy Vice President Jason Beauch said. “We believe expanding our efforts by collaborating with so many great organizations will be meaningful for families across the State of Michigan as we increase accessibility and provide solutions to individuals who might require additional accommodation and resources to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations.”
For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com.
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