By Noel Cody ·April 28, 2021April 28, 2021
Long-standing social structures of racism and discrimination have systematically harmed the health and well-being of generations of Americans simply due to their race. As we begin to move forward, health organizations, like Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), are facing the nation’s crisis in racial health disparities head on.
“Your health shouldn’t depend on the color of your skin or the neighborhood you live in,” said Kim Keck, president and CEO of BCBSA. “The crisis in racial disparities in our country’s health care is unconscionable and unacceptable. While Blue Cross Blue Shield companies (BCBS) have made great strides in addressing racial health disparities in our local communities, there is so much more to be done.” And with their new National Health Equity Strategy, they are taking the first steps.
Building A New ModelThis multi-year effort to confrontracial disparities begins with maternal health and will expand to include behavioral health, cardiovascular health, and diabetes. To ensure its success, the strategy includes collecting data to measure disparities, scaling effective programs, working with providers to improve outcomes and address unconscious bias, leaning into partnerships at the community level, and influencing policy decisions at the state and federal levels.
“Starting here and starting now, we can begin to put an end to the racial disparities in health care. Our deep roots in the local communities we serve, combined with the scale and scope of our national reach, enable all of us to drive this new strategy and bring real change,” says Kim. “But we cannot do it alone. It is a moment in time when we as a nation must come together to build a new model of equitable health care.”
Crisis Management to Create ChangeThere is a major crisis that we must confront, and it must be dealt with first. Women of color, specifically Black and Indigenous women, are facing 3x higher rates of maternal mortality and 2x higher rates of maternal morbidity compared to their white counterparts, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many BCBS companies are already working toward preventing these dangerous outcomes.
Identifying women at risk and providing one-on-one coaching, BCBS companies are helping them manage their chronic conditions during pregnancy. This includes nutrition counseling and “prescriptions” for healthy food delivery while also addressing underlying social determinants that have an impact on health. They are also providing doula support to mothers throughout their pre- and postnatal journeys and making implicit bias training available to healthcare workers.
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