Fort Wayne elementary students will sing, dance, laugh and play to get healthy, MDwise to bring interactive exercise program to students May 13 and 20

5/9/2011

Fort Wayne, Ind. – May 9, 2011
Elementary students at three Fort Wayne schools will learn fun, new ways to get active and healthy May 13 and 20. MDwise, a not-for-profit managed health care organization that serves Hoosiers on Medicaid, is bringing Radio Disney’s “Move It!” program – an upbeat, kid-friendly exercise presentation aimed at curbing childhood obesity – to students at Bloomingdale Elementary, Harrison Hill Elementary and Northcrest Elementary schools.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 30 percent of Hoosier kids ages 10–17 were overweight or obese in 2009.

“Childhood obesity is a growing problem, and MDwise is taking an active role to address this issue among Hoosier kids,” said Jamie Bruce, MDwise chief development and marketing officer. “The Move It! program is a great initiative that engages kids with fun, interactive activities to get them excited about being active and healthy.”

Themed “Get Off Your Seat and On Your Feet,” the Move It! program helps kids identify physical activities they enjoy doing, whether it’s dancing, skateboarding, rollerblading or just playing a game of tag with friends. The Fort Wayne Move It! tour dates and times are:

May 13, 10 a.m. – Bloomingdale Elementary
May 13, 1:45 p.m.– Harrison Hill Elementary
May 20, 2 p.m. – Northcrest Elementary

MDwise is working with Radio Disney to take Move It! to students across Indiana. The program has already reached students at 25 schools in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Terre Haute this school year. MDwise plans to continue the program through the summer and into the 2011–12 school year.

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About MDwise

MDwise is an Indiana-licensed nonprofit health maintenance organization offering health care benefits to 300,000 Medicaid members. Since 1994 MDwise has provided access to compassionate, high-quality, coordinated health care and education to Medicaid members in communities throughout Indiana.

MDwise is a provider-owned health plan with a large network of doctors, specialists and hospitals located throughout the state. By meeting the basic requirements of the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA’s) rigorous standards for consumer protection and quality improvement, MDwise was awarded NCQA’s accreditation status of Accredited for service and clinical quality. Ninety-seven percent of MDwise members surveyed would recommend MDwise to their family and friends. For more information, visit MDwise.org.

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