Not-for-profit Safety Net Health Plans coordinate health care delivery for individuals with low incomes, including people affected by overlapping systems of oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, ableism). This critical role provides an opportunity for health plans to advance health equity for their members and communities.
The Health Equity Learning Collaborative, led by the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), is convening ACAP-affiliated Safety Net Health Plans interested in advancing health equity for their members by identifying and reducing health disparities.
The learning collaborative aims to:
- Support Safety Net Health Plans to enhance health equity for their members and communities by identifying and reducing health disparities;
- Facilitate learning via peer-to-peer engagement and technical assistance to help advance health equity goals; and
- Tailor strategies to assets, context, and needs of members and communities served by Safety Net Health Plans.
Project Activities and Participants
Between September 2024 and December 2025, CHCS is assisting 10 participating plans to develop or strengthen a health equity strategic plan based on local assets, context, and needs. Participating plans have access to experts in the field, resources for developing actionable strategies to advance health equity, peer-to-peer engagement to share best practices, and tailored technical assistance to support implementation.
Launched in 2022, 19 plans from 18 states have participated in this unique peer learning opportunity. Current participating plans include:
- Alliance Health (NC)
- AmeriHealth Caritas (DC, DE, LA, NC, NH, MI, PA, SC)
- Banner Health Plans (AZ)
- Community Health Network of Connecticut (CT)
- Community Health Plan of Washington (WA)
- CountyCare (IL)
- Gold Coast Health Plan (CA)
- Kern Health Systems (CA)
- UPMC Health Plan (PA)
- VNS Health (NY)
