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Using the Sport of Basketball to Help Children Manage Their Asthma

Healthy Hoops Asthma Olympics Provided Education to Help Reduce Asthma Attacks,
Get Kids Active, and Reduce Emergency Room Visits

May 7, 2008
Philadelphia, PA – More than 400 children and parents from Norristown and West Philadelphia recently attended the Healthy Hoops Asthma Olympics event held at the St. Joseph's University Field House in Philadelphia on May 4^th. The Healthy Hoops program, sponsored by Keystone Mercy Health Plan and the Healthy Hoops Coalition, used the sport of basketball to teach children with asthma and their families how to manage the illness through appropriate medication use, proper nutrition, and monitored exercise and recreational activities.

Asthma affects about 9 million children in the U.S., causing nearly 4 million asthma attacks and more than 641,000 emergency room visits each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The problem is especially severe for children living in poverty.

The Healthy Hoops Asthma Olympics targeted underserved children ages 3 to 15. This was the first Healthy Hoops event to focus on the Norristown area in addition to Philadelphia. The event included health assessments and hands-on asthma education for the children and their parents, plus basketball coaching sessions for the children. The program will culminate in the fall with a full-day event where the asthma management progress of returning participants will be evaluated.

"We are pleased to make Healthy Hoops available to children from Norristown and West Philadelphia,? said Daniel J. Hilferty, President and Chief Executive Officer of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies, the parent organization of Keystone Mercy Health Plan. "Healthy Hoops has proven to be an effective way to teach children and their families how to manage their asthma."

The program has been found to reduce emergency room visits, reduce the use of rescue medication and increase the use of preventive medication.

"The Healthy Hoops program was a wonderful opportunity for the children from Norristown to take advantage of a centralized health information and health testing event," said Joanne Gillespie, principal at Hancock Elementary School in Norristown, who attended the event. "The children that went had hours of fun and hours of learning benefits."

Healthy Hoops was developed to bridge the racial disparity gap of children with asthma. Created by Keystone Mercy Health Plan and the Healthy Hoops Coalition, more than 2,500 children and their family members have participated in the program since 2003. The program is expanding nationally, with programs established in South Carolina and Florida, and in development in Kentucky.

The May 4^th Healthy Hoops Asthma Olympics program was presented by Keystone Mercy Health Plan, AstraZeneca, Crozer-Keystone Health System, and the American Lung Association.

About Keystone Mercy Health Plan
Keystone Mercy Health Plan, a health care ministry of the Sisters of Mercy in affiliation with Keystone First, Inc., is the largest Medical Assistance managed care organization in Pennsylvania, serving more than 295,400 Medical Assistance recipients. Keystone Mercy's mission is to provide accessible, quality health care services to its members, with a special concern for the poor and disadvantaged. For more information about Keystone Mercy Health Plan, please visit www.keystonemercy.com.

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medicaid managed care, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Medicare Coverage, Find a Medicaid Health Insurance Plan, Find a Medicaid Provider, Doctor, Pharmacy, Pharmacist, What is Medicaid, How much does it cost to sign up for Medicaid, What is Medicaid Managed Care, How does Medicaid Managed Care Work?

Medicaid Managed Care Health Insurance, What is Medicaid, How do I sign up for Medicaid?

Medicaid Care, Managed Care or Medicaid, Manager, Manage Management of Care, and how to get health care. hospitals that accept Medicaid Managed Care patients

Find a Doctor in Pennsylvania, Find a Hospital in Pennsylvania, Who accepts Medicaid Managed Care

Healthcare Providers Pennsylvania, Medicaid Managed Care

Using the Sport of Basketball to Help Children Manage Their Asthma

Healthy Hoops Asthma Olympics Provided Education to Help Reduce Asthma Attacks, Get Kids Active, and Reduce Emergency Room Visits

Healthy Hoops Asthma Olympics Provided Education to Help Reduce Asthma Attacks,
Get Kids Active, and Reduce Emergency Room Visits