Anthem Blue Cross is Honored for Innovative Program

Anthem Blue Cross (Anthem) was recognized today for its innovative program, Applications of Indirect Estimation of Race/Ethnicity Data in Health Plan Activities, as a 2008 winner of the BlueWorks(R) program. BlueWorks is a unique collaboration between the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and the Harvard Medical School Department of Health Care Policy, honoring innovation in successful approaches to improving health and wellness for members and consumers.

Through the BlueWorks program, Harvard researchers evaluate and select Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies’ local programs for recognition based on their innovation, efficacy, robust design, and potential for replication. Since the inception of BlueWorks in 2004, Harvard has recognized 43 Blue Cross and Blue Shield programs for their ground-breaking work to promote health and wellness and enable consumers to better manage their health care choices.

“Anthem Blue Cross should be applauded for its efforts to improve the quality of health care for consumers,” said Scott P. Serota, BCBSA president and CEO. “Anthem’s effort to address racial and ethnic disparities in its communities is a prime example of the great work that Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are doing to drive health and wellness and make navigating health care choices easier for consumers.”

To overcome an absence of self-reported race and ethnicity membership information, Anthem’s health disparities unit developed a means to estimate member race, ethnicity or language needs based on its membership demographics. The resulting indirect data estimates allowed Anthem to examine differences between racial/ethnic groups in various health indicators, such as diabetes and colorectal and mammography screening rates. Overlaying the performance data with geographic software produced maps showing health disparity “hot spots,” and opportunities to implement programs to improve service and access.

“This program nicely complements our ongoing work with community organizations and providers to help reduce health care disparities,” said Leslie A. Margolin, president of Anthem Blue Cross. “Data analysis to determine race, ethnicity and primary language of health plan members is essential to improving the overall quality of health care and reducing inequalities. Through this program, we have been able to analyze data and identify and develop programs, such as culturally and linguistically designed health education materials for Latino and African-American members with diabetes.”

According to Harvard Medical School’s Department of Health Care Policy, each BlueWorks program promotes a better understanding of the issue at hand and improves the effectiveness of health care for the consumer and the health care system as a whole. The Applications of Indirect Estimation of Race/Ethnicity Data in Health Plan Activities exemplifies how Anthem Blue Cross is responding to a need in the current health care system with an original program that is showing remarkable impact. This program has also been initiated at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia.

The other BlueWorks programs that were recognized today for their innovation and success were

1) Caring Program: Care Coordination for Children with Special Health Care Needs (Highmark Blue Shield’s Caring Foundation, Pennsylvania)
2) Enhancing Statin Therapy Efficiency (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas)
3) Smart Bodies: Building Healthy Bodies and Active Minds (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana)

BlueWorks programs provide consumers with the tools they need to make better, more informed health care decisions. These efforts are helping to improve health care quality, value, and access, while enabling consumers to become more engaged in their health and wellness.

For more information about this and other Harvard-recognized programs that have been awarded the BlueWorks distinction, please visit http://www.bcbs.com/innovations/blueworks

SOURCE Anthem Blue Cross