Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is the first health plan to earn URAC’s Health Equity Accreditation, recognizing the organization for creating solutions to address inequities in health outcomes. By securing this accreditation from URAC, the nation’s most comprehensive independent health care accrediting body, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas demonstrates its commitment to advancing high-quality, equitable care for its members and the broader Kansas community.
URAC developed its Health Equity Accreditation in collaboration with the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) and launched it in the fall of 2023 to support health care organizations with identifying and reducing health disparities. The accreditation’s framework focuses on promoting integration of health equity principles, supporting industry-wide initiatives to eliminate health disparities and ensuring high-quality care for populations experiencing inequities, such as racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities or those living in rural communities.
“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas exemplifies how organizations can leverage the Health Equity Accreditation framework to build programs that truly meet their community’s needs,” said Dr. Shawn Griffin, President and CEO of URAC. “By pursuing this accreditation while formalizing their health equity program, they’ve established a strong foundation rooted in equity that will serve Kansas communities for years to come.”
Sonia Jordan, Health Equity Manager at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, shared, “We are Kansans serving Kansans, and URAC’s Health Equity Accreditation allowed us to build a program that aligns with our members and the communities we serve. This demonstrates that we’re taking health equity seriously, that we truly value an inclusive, accessible and equitable health care system for all Kansans.”
To put their health equity framework into motion, the organization decided to focus first on maternal health. Through rigorous data analysis, they identified specific maternal health challenges within their membership and implemented interventions that address the unique needs of both rural and urban communities across the state.
Virginia Barnes, Director of Blue Health Initiatives at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, highlighted specific initiatives advancing this mission, “Our sponsorship of the Baby Talk prenatal education program enables us to reach expectant mothers across all 103 counties we serve, including those in rural areas with limited access to maternal health care. The program is offered in-person, hybrid and via telehealth, and is available to any mother in our service area, not just our members. Additionally, we’re expanding our work to include postpartum mental health support through Growing Hope Kits. These initiatives demonstrate our ability to use data-driven insights to create meaningful interventions that improve health outcomes for Kansas families.”
Beyond addressing health equity in care delivery, URAC’s accreditation standards also emphasize equitable workforce practices, encouraging organizations to evaluate workforce diversity and ensure employees receive training on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, helping build teams that reflect the populations they serve.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas plans to continue developing initiatives that prioritize equitable access to care, foster inclusive environments and address the unique needs of various populations, including upcoming work in behavioral health and food insecurity.
To ensure the highest standard of equity while developing its accreditation, URAC collaborated with a Health Equity Council comprised of 25 organizations, including the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, American Public Health Association and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. This collaborative effort ensures that the accreditation standards reflect the latest best practices and offer meaningful, achievable benchmarks for organizations dedicated to advancing health equity.
For more information on URAC’s Health Equity Accreditation, visit https://www.urac.org/equity
About URAC
URAC is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, measurement and education. As a trusted leader in the industry, URAC works with health care organizations to improve access, efficiency and patient care outcomes. Learn more at www.urac.org.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
For more than 80 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas has built a reputation of trust with its members and contracting providers by providing outstanding customer service while quickly and accurately processing claims; fairly administering benefit plans and contracts; offering programs, services and tools to help members improve or maintain their health; and operating under the highest ethical standards while being good stewards of premium dollars. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and is the state’s largest insurer, serving all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte. For more information, visit bcbsks.com.
Media Contact:
Laura A. Wood – Director, Marketing and Communicationslaura.wood@urac.org(202) 326-3968
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SOURCE URAC
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