Improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of publicly financed health care
Improving Health Care Quality for Racially and Ethnically Diverse Populations
Though the United States is capable of providing the world's best health care, our medical advances are not enjoyed equally. People of racially and ethnically diverse groups experience more barriers to care, a greater incidence of chronic disease, lower quality of care, and higher mortality than whites. The Medicaid program covers a disproportionate number of minorities; consequently, state Medicaid purchasers and their managed care contractors are uniquely situated to generate improvements in the quality of care and health outcomes for millions of racially and ethnically diverse beneficiaries with chronic illnesses.
In response to the problem of racial and ethnic disparities in health care, CHCS worked with 12 Medicaid managed care teams to develop strategies for identifying and addressing disparities for their culturally diverse members. The 12 organizations, included 10 Medicaid health plans, one state primary care case management program, and one state collaborative:
- Blue Cross of California, California
- CareOregon, Oregon
- Department Human Services, Oregon
- FamilyCare, Inc., Oregon
- HealthFirst, New York
- Helix Family Choice, Maryland
- L.A. Care Health Plan California
- Medica, Minnesota
- Molina Healthcare, Michigan
- Monroe Plan for Medical Care, New York
- Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Rhode Island
- Network Health, Massachusetts
- Providence Health Plans, Oregon
- SoonerCare PCCM, Oklahoma
- UPMC for You, Pennsylvania
In addition to the BCAP workgroup, CHCS convened state Medicaid agency staff for a CHCS Purchasing Institute: Leveraging Data to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities.