As the U.S. population continues to become increasingly diverse, the health care system faces new challenges and opportunities in its efforts to better serve the needs of its changing population. Findings from several recent reports on the impact of racial and ethnic disparities call for strategies to bring about greater equity in health care services.
Recognizing the importance of understanding cultural differences and their impact on accessing appropriate health care services, AHIP's work aims to increase awareness of the influence of race, ethnicity, and primary language on health outcomes; collaborate with other stakeholders to develop tools and resources for evidence-based research and practice; and develop effective strategies that help contribute to reducing inequity across the health care system.
“Our members are taking on the challenge of health care disparities. AHIP intends to serve as a hub for exchanging information on what is working to overcome gaps in care experienced by minorities in our health care system.”
– Karen Ignagni, AHIP President and CEO
A Legal Perspective for Health Insurance Plans: Data Collection on Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language
The collection of valid and reliable data can make a significant impact in understanding disparities and developing effective programs for the elimination of health care inequities experienced by many groups across the nation. AHIP’s new issue brief provides an analysis of the current federal and state laws and regulations related to data collection on race, ethnicity, and primary language. March 2009 [Read the Brief]
Improving Quality: Achieving Health Care Equity
AHIP and its member companies recognize that racial and ethnic disparities in health care are the result of complex issues that cannot be eliminated with a single strategy or by any one group. Efforts to reduce inequities and attain true progress will require a clear vision, strong leadership, systematic change and collaboration among key stakeholders, including consumers, clinicians, hospitals, employers, health plans, government agencies, and the community at large.
Health plans have begun to play a key role initiating and leading change in the collection of data on race, ethnicity, and primary language; cross-cultural communication training of health care professionals; improvements in clear health communication; development of quality improvement programs to reduce disparities; and measuring progress over time. Funding for these activities is provided by AHIP, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Pfizer Inc. For more information, please see the information below:
AHIP’s Improving Quality: Achieving Health Care Equity (.pdf - 92 KB)
National Health Plan Collaborative
The National Health Plan Collaborative (NHPC) is a private and public partnership of 11 major health insurance plans working together to identify ways to improve the quality of health care for racially and ethnically diverse populations. The Collaborative includes Aetna, Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan, CIGNA, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, HealthPartners, Highmark Inc., Humana, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, UnitedHealth Group WellPoint, Inc. To visit the website please click here.
In September 2008, The National Health Plan Collaborative (NHPC) released the Toolkit to Reduce Disparities in Health Care to provide health plans with resources on strategies and promising practices to address disparities in health care. The NHPC Toolkit is currently available at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Quality/Equality Web site: http://www.rwjf.org/qualityequality/goto/NHPCToolkit.
Tools to Address Disparities in Health
Data as Building Blocks for Change
Strong evidence suggests that race, ethnicity, and sociocultural factors impact how health care is accessed and delivered. These data are vital for identifying variations in the quality of care provided to different groups; developing and implementing effective prevention and treatment strategies; and facilitating the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate health care.
AHIP’s Data as Building Blocks for Change: A Data Collection Toolkit for Health Insurance Plans/Health Care Organizations (.pdf – 1,353 KB) Data as Building Blocks for Change supplies health insurance plans and health care organizations with the building blocks to create change and improve the care for all Americans. This Toolkit serves to expand the general knowledge about the issues surrounding data collection and its potential impact for identifying disparities and measuring quality improvement.
AHIP’s Data as Building Blocks for Change – Toolkit Information Sheet (.pdf – 1,052 KB)
Improving the Quality of Care for Diverse Populations: Strategies for Collecting and Using Data on Race, and Ethnicity – AHIP Regional Workshop Presentation (.ppt - 3,276 KB) Four regional workshops on data collection by race, ethnicity, and primary language were held between January and April of 2005. The aim of AHIP’s regional workshops was to increase awareness of the importance of these data and provide technical assistance to health insurance plans and health care organizations on how to systematically collect and use data on race, ethnicity, and primary language to improve the quality of care for diverse populations.
Promoting Culturally Sensitive Health Care
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Cross-cultural education and training for health care professionals can build a solid foundation to improve quality of care and reduce health care disparities among our nation’s growing diverse population. AHIP is responding to the growing need to deliver effective cross-cultural health care by expanding a component of its Addressing Disparities in Health initiative. |
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The Quality Interactions® courses include:
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For more information on the components of AHIP’s Quality Interactions courses, please access AHIP’s Promoting Culturally Sensitive Health Care – Information Sheet (pdf – 754 KB).
A strategy for closing the gap in health care disparities is to provide cultural competency training for health care providers and health care professionals. AHIP’s Coverage article feature health plan efforts to improve the quality of cross-cultural care through such training. The examples highlighted address the need for cultural awareness and humility, respect for language preferences and specific programs designed to enhance provider and patient communication.
Closing the Gap (Coverage, March/April 2009) (.pdf - 626 KB)
Communications Resources to Close the Gap
A promising approach to reducing disparities and improving health care quality is the use of clear and effective health communications. Clear and simple health information enhances a consumer’s ability to effectively navigate the health care system and make well-informed decisions.
Communications Resources to Close the Gap is a compendium of resources for health insurance plans, physicians, and health care organizations. This publication highlights tools, websites, and steps on how to incorporate culturally and linguistically appropriate messages into everyday communications with consumers.
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AHIP’s Communications Resources to Close the Gap (.pdf - 2079 KB)
2004 AHIP and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Quantitative & Qualitative Surveys on the Collection of Data on Race and Ethnicity:
In a 2004 collaborative study by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, "Race and Ethnicity Data Collection by Health Plans," findings demonstrated that health insurance plans are making progress in collecting information about race, ethnicity, and primary language of their enrollees. To download the issue briefs regarding the results of the surveys, please click on the links to the right.
For more information and interviews with Karen Ignagni and Carmella Bocchino, Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs, please visit The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website: Special Report: Tracking Health Plan Enrollees Race and Ethnicity.
Press Releases:
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Más Planes de Salud Tratan de Superar La Disparidad en la Atención Médica que Experimentan las Minorías en los EE.UU. (.pdf - 124 KB; Spanish version)
Collection and Use of Race and Ethnicity Data for Quality Improvement–2006 AHIP- RWJF Survey of Health Insurance Plans: Issue Brief [ Read the Brief]
The issue brief on the 2006 AHIP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) survey highlights progress made by health insurance plans on collecting and using data on race, ethnicity, and primary language to help address disparities.
