Last month I told you about the irony of me being a cancer survivor and selling health insurance. Although I always felt I was a healthy eater, I became even more of a fresh, local produce advocate as a result. So you can imagine how great I felt learning that Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina® (BCBSNC) Foundation, along with the NC Department of Agriculture, announced a $ 1.2 million grant to benefit the North Carolina Farm to School program. This is great news for our kids (and for those of us requesting health insurance quotes each time our policy renews). Healthy kids become healthy adults, and that ultimately reduces insurance costs for everyone.

Here are the facts: About 15% of adolescents (12-19 years) and children (6-11 years) are obese, and about two thirds of us are considered overweight. In fact, America is the fattest country in the world! Being overweight leads to so many costly medical conditions – heart disease, diabetes, cancer, asthma and sleep apnea, just to name a few. Obviously, heavy people pay more for their health insurance plans than others.

But even the healthiest people pay the health insurance cost of obesity in America, because quotes and rates are based on statistics. Health insurance providers like BCBSNC know all too well the cost of obesity on health insurance plans. This weighty issue is great; it’s one of the reasons I’m proud to represent some of the best health care insurance plans around…even if you’re uninsurable, I can help.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Of North Carolina Health Insurance CEO Brad Wilson explained the motivation behind the foundation’s grant, “The reason we are doing this is because we have an obesity epidemic in our country. We are in crisis mode, and this is one small step that is going to make a difference.”

Back to the Farm to School program. Children spend more time in school during the week than at home. Do you know which foods your child is eating, or has access to, at school? The NC program has been supplying school cafeterias across our state with the freshest, locally grown produce from North Carolina farms since 1997 (Buncombe County did not participate in 2008 and 2010). It has also provided valuable resources for nutrition directors, teachers, parents and students learning about food and agriculture.

Kudos to BCBSNC! I’m proud to work with an insurance company that is helping. A healthier lifestyle means a healthier community, lower healthcare costs, and a healthier economy. Think of what we can do with the millions of dollars we would save on health care expenditures and insurance rates if we – and our children – can reverse the obesity trend!

I don’t sell health insurance. I help you find the right health plan for you and your family. When researching health insurance quotes and plans in North Carolina, let me help you ask the right questions and find the right answers. Join the millions of North Carolina residents that have chosen the affordable medical and health insurance plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC®.

PS – You can learn more about our Foundation on the web at bcbsncfoundation.org.