Shop Plans
Health
Find a Health Plan
We offer a complete choice of plans to meet your coverage needs and fit your budget.
More Plans
Travel
Cancer
VIP
Dental
Get a Dental Plan
We offer three Traditional plans and three Certified plans to meet your needs.
Medicare
Pick a Medicare Plan
Thinking about your Medicare options? Find out which plan is right for you.
Find Doctor or Drug
Find a Doctor
Find a Doctor or Drug
Pick a directory to search or find other helpful information about drug resources, quality programs and more.
Directories
Louisiana Provider Directory
Quality Blue Directory
National Provider Directory
BlueDental Advantage Plus Directory
Davis Vision Directory
Hospital Based Physicians
ER/OR Information
Are you planning a hospital stay? If you just found out that you need surgery, or if you will be admitted to a hospital or ambulatory surgical center for any reason, you will most likely receive some care during your stay from a hospital-based physician. Learn more.
Other Directories
Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core
Federal Employee Program (FEP)
Rx Drug Resources
Manage your medicine, find drug lists and learn how to save money.
Quality Programs
Quality Blue Programs
We work with doctors, hospitals and clinics around Louisiana to make sure you have a better healthcare experience.
Save Money
$25 Gym Memberships
Find a Gym
For just $25 a month and a $25 enrollment fee, you'll have access to 9,000 participating fitness locations around the state and nation.
More Money-Saving Tips
Find Discounts
Lower Drug Costs
Preventive Care Services
Primary Care Doctor
Pick a Primary Care Doctor
Picking a primary care doctor is an important step to staying healthy and saving money.
Choose the Right Care
Where you and go and who you see for treatment is a big part of getting quality healthcare while saving money.
Wellness
Discounts
Get discounts on gym memberships, fitness gear, healthy eating, prescriptions and more.
More Wellness Tips
Tools
Member Programs
Find a Program
Whether you want to quit smoking or find the right doctor, we have many programs to help.
Wellness Library
Learn About Wellness
Read articles, take quizzes, watch videos and listen to podcasts about many health topics.
Learn
Insurance 101
Learn the Basics
Understand your plan, learn about health savings accounts, and watch helpful videos.
Social
Find Us on Social Media
Join the conversation and stay connected with us for exclusive content.
Straight Talk
Get Straight Answers
If you're looking for a straight answer to your healthcare questions, this is the place.
My Account
My Account Information
Claims
Benefits
Costs
Statements
Pharmacy
Manage Account
Manage Your Account
Pay your bill, view your statements or update your email or password.
Forms
Other Coverage Questionnaire
Authorized Delegate
Health Assessment
Air pollution is the black cloud belching from an industrial smokestack. It's the smog that settles over some cities, dimming the skyline. It's the smelly exhaust of an old car that burns oil.
Air pollution also can be invisible. It can cause lung damage, cancer, or other serious health problems in people who may not realize the possible danger of the unseen gases or particles in the air.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tracks 6 major air pollutants that cause major health effects:
Ground-level ozone
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Carbon monoxide
Lead
Microscopic particles called particulate matte
Both the outside air and the air in your home or workplace can have these pollutants. The amount of pollutant in the air and the length of time you are exposed to it determine how the pollutant will affect you.
When you breathe in gases such as carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide, the cells that line the airways to the lungs absorb them. Once taken in, the gases can pass into your blood and travel to your internal organs. There they can cause damage. If the pollution isn't absorbed into the blood, damage can still be done to the lungs.
Large particles in the air are filtered out by the small hairs (cilia) that line your respiratory tract. But smaller particles reach your airways and lungs. Particles of all sizes also land on crops and in water. Over time they are eaten by humans, and by animals that humans eat.
The effects of air pollution vary from person to person. A healthy adult who is exposed to these pollutants for a short time or at low dose may not have long-term problems. But it's different for people with a heart or respiratory condition. For these people, even a small dose or a short exposure can make symptoms worse. Longer exposure or a higher dose can lead to serious illness. In some cases it can lead to death. Children and older adults are more likely to be affected by air pollution than others. They can suffer the effects at lower pollution levels.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a national index for 6 major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act:
Particle pollution
The index tells you how clean or polluted your air is. It also tells you what health effects you may have in a few hours or days after breathing polluted air.