Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation proposes action plan for health equity
Photo | Courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield
The Boston offices of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation has released a proposed action plan to build on momentum in the realm of health equity, suggesting the state government create a central organizing entity, a steering committee, and action labs for collaboration.
“Many healthcare organizations across the Commonwealth are actively focused on addressing racism and reducing health disparities and doing very good work. We need to leverage these varied and often siloed efforts in a more cohesive way in order to create change of greater magnitude,” Audrey Shelto, president and CEO of the Boston-based foundation, said in a Wednesday press release accompanying the report and plan. “It’s imperative that we coordinate our efforts so that we can make substantial and definitive progress toward an equitable health care system in Massachusetts.”
The report identifies short- and long-term steps to significantly improve health equity in Massachusetts. The central tenets of the plan suggest ways for stakeholders to collaborate and avoid being siloed in their approaches through organization, committees, and action labs.
BCBSMA in June released a report detailing a $6-billion toll on communities of color.
First steps for enacting the plan will be a collaboration with the Health Equity Compact, a group of executives of color across Massachusetts.
The plan is meant to be a launching pad for concrete steps to address health equity, according to the press release. It was created in collaboration with Los Angeles-based Manatt Health.
“Our approach serves as a concrete proposal to launch systematic and coordinated action,” Shelto said. “We expect this work to be challenging, as all important endeavors are, and our progress will truly accelerate when we all start working together with a shared vision and common goal.”
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