Breaking ground in improving the health of local communities

Getting the right healthcare looks different for everyone, and Premera Blue Cross knows that equal access doesn’t always lead to equally helpful care. That’s why the local, not-for-profit health plan started a member survey this year to collect Race, Ethnicity, and Language (REL) data. This is an important way to understand the communities they serve and make healthcare work better for everyone.

 

Understanding Health Equity

Health equality and health equity may seem similar, but they are two different ways of providing healthcare. Equality means everyone gets the same care. Equity recognizes that all communities are unique and some need different care.

Premera wants everyone to have equal access to affordable care that fits their needs. To achieve this, teams work daily to better understand and address the impact of race, ethnicity, where someone lives, income, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other factors.

 

Removing Obstacles to Care

Accessing healthcare shouldn’t be hard. But for some communities, it can be – especially if there are language or cultural differences between patients and doctors.

Dr. Josephine Young, Medical Director at Premera Blue Cross, reinforces that partnerships are key to solving these challenges: “Our role is to connect people to the care they need, working across the industry to ensure services meet our members’ needs. We see ourselves as leaders in health equity, not because of what we can do alone, but because of what we can achieve in partnership with providers and communities. By working together, we will have the greatest impact on our members in the long run.”

 

Using Data to Make Changes

Members can find the REL survey in their secure accounts and the Premera mobile app. The survey is voluntary, but the information collected will help Premera create better programs to fit a community’s needs. The company emphasizes this data will never be used to decide benefits, premiums, or services. Instead, it will help make care more effective for each patient.

Premera plans to use this data to expand services in more languages and develop more culturally competent care options. The company recognizes that non-medical health factors—including access to nutritious food, affordable housing, transportation, and financial stability—can affect up to 80% of health outcomes. By understanding their members through REL data, Premera can better address these fundamental issues, too.

To protect member privacy, Premera says that all information is collected securely and accessed only by their health equity team. Members can update their information at any time, too.

“Even if you aren’t a Premera member, it is important that you understand why your information is being asked for and how it will be used,” explained Dr. Young. “You might be asked to share REL data at your annual check-up or in another healthcare setting. Your provider should always be willing to talk about how sharing your data could benefit you and others.”

Collecting this data is a big step toward making sure that everyone can access care that respects their needs and culture, so they can live their healthiest lives.

Learn more on Premera’s website. You can also hear stories from people about how their race, ethnicity, or preferred language impacted the care they received.