Blue Shield of California, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan Receive National Recognition for Addressing Health Disparities

Nonprofit health plans serving commercial, Medicare and Medi-Cal members earn NCQA accreditation for health equity in care services, clinical performance, consumer experience

, /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Shield of California, which serves 6 million members as the only statewide nonprofit health plan, today announced national recognition for its efforts to advance health equity and improve access to culturally competent care for members. The nonprofit health plan received a perfect score in health equity accreditation measures from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

NCQA is a leading national accrediting body committed to advancing high-quality health care by rating quality measures among health plans, home care, and more. NCQA honors those within the healthcare system who are excelling in quality, including via Health Care Accreditation, based on HEDIS® and CAHPS® performance.

The NCQA Health Equity Accreditation requires plans to establish a strong operational foundation to address health disparities. This includes capturing data to identify and address disparities, providing culturally appropriate services in multiple languages, and determining opportunities to address inequities and improve care. Receiving NCQA Health Equity Accreditation across all lines of business demonstrates Blue Shield's commitment to health equity, meeting members where they are, and continuously assessing opportunities to address inequities. And Blue Shield was acknowledged in 21 categories.

"This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment as a mission-driven nonprofit health plan to achieving health equity for all 6 million of our members," said Ravi Kavasery, M.D., chief medical officer at Blue Shield of California. "NCQA accreditation signifies we have the right organizational culture and operations to support what's needed to advance health equity, including collecting and using the data needed to address the unique health needs of our large, diverse membership."

Blue Shield's health equity initiatives are rooted in data to identify the populations and regions with the highest disparities in access to care and health outcomes. The health plan has created programs to address birth equity, youth mental health, preventive screenings, climate change, nutrition, and more. These programs are built in collaboration with community organizations to create new solutions, or enhance current approaches, with an added health equity lens and integrate member and community perspectives to ensure approaches and initiatives meet the needs of Blue Shield members.

"Receiving this honor from NCQA is a great acknowledgment of our commitment to provide affordable, quality health care for all Californians," said Jennifer Nuovo, M.D., chief medical officer of Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. "The Medi-Cal population is large, diverse, and includes some of the most vulnerable populations in our state. Health equity is part of everything we do to better serve our members." 

While this is Blue Shield's first perfect score for health equity, it has been recognized for its health equity efforts for the last three years by NCQA for its Commercial lines of business.

About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably affordable. The health plan is a taxpaying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Shield Association with nearly 6 million members, over 7,500 employees and more than $25 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $60 million to the Blue Shield of California Foundation in the last three years to have an impact on California communities. 

For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit news.blueshieldca.com. 

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About Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is a managed care organization, wholly owned by Blue Shield of California, offering Medi-Cal. It is led by healthcare professionals with a "members-first" philosophy and committed to building a quality network of providers and partnering with community organizations for more than 575,000 members across Los Angeles and San Diego counties. For more information about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit www.blueshieldca.com/promise. For more news about Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, please visit promisenews.blueshieldca.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Blue Shield of California