Ensuring equity in health care

Health equity is essential to building a healthy community. At Independence Blue Cross (IBX), we are committed to ensuring everyone in the Philadelphia region has a fair chance to achieve their best health — regardless of their background.

Access to regular check-ups, screenings, vaccinations, and early treatment can prevent diseases from worsening and reduce the need for costly medical care. Yet, despite decades of research and efforts to improve the health care system, many people still don't have access to the care they need. We see this here in our own region and beyond. It's what is driving IBX's focus on the physical, behavioral, and social needs of our members including those in under resourced communities.

Health and poverty in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, the sixth largest city in the nation, has worse health outcomes than most counties in Pennsylvania and the U.S. Deaths in Philadelphia have dropped from 2020 to 2021 but are still much higher than in the previous decade. Geographically, deaths are more prevalent in the north and southwest sections of the city. The citywide poverty rate, which shows the percentage of people in the city who lack the financial resources and other essentials for a minimum standard of living, is also high. Out of the top 10 most populous cities across the U.S., Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate. The rates are highest north and west Philadelphia.

Although the city is diverse, some racial and ethnic groups still live in specific zip codes. Research shows that having groups concentrated like this can be linked to higher mortality rates.

Working together

To create a more equitable health care system we must collaborate with others and break down silos. That is why IBX is working with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, as well as community and clinical organizations in the region to address health equity.

Independence joined forces with organizations across the Philadelphia region to launch Accelerate Health Equity (AHE) in 2022. This multi-year initiative is aimed at addressing health inequities in our community. It's designed to produce tangible improvements and better health outcomes in Philadelphia.

We also convened the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-based Medicine with 12 health systems to remove race adjustments from clinical decision support tools. The group's work began in 2023 and to date, all participating health systems have transitioned away from race adjustments in clinical decision support tools that help guide lung, kidney, and OB-GYN care.

Creating solutions

We are committed to creating solutions that dismantle structural racism and work toward health justice for all. This includes earning Health Equity Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which supports our efforts to build an actionable framework for improving health equity. It also includes the following initiatives:

• Working with the hospitals and doctors in our network to make sure IBX to members are aware of and have access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care. This type of care includes offerings such as interpretation services and information about doctors, such as the languages they speak, their race and ethnicity, and more.
• Creating more ways for members and the community to share feedback through the IBX Health Equity Advocacy Council and Health Equity Summit. Their input helps us identify care gaps, needed services, and programs to develop.
• Addressing disparities in maternal health care. We do this by providing our members with access to valuable programs and resources that give them the support they need in whatever stage of parenthood they're in, such as such as Baby BluePrints^®, Ovia Health^TM and Heart Safe Motherhood. IBX also works with various vendors to offer comprehensive pregnancy and postpartum services for eligible members with certain risk factors.
• Closing gaps in care. We are helping to close gaps in colorectal screening rates through our support of the "Cycles of Impact" program with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. We are also helping our IBX Medicare Advantage members who have diabetes get in-home diabetic eye exams through Retina Labs.

Communicating good health

We are tackling pressing health issues through innovative public health campaigns.

• Our Community. Our Health. partnership with The Philadelphia Tribune, which addresses chronic health conditions in the African American community
• Know Your Mind mental health public awareness campaign
• Our Health Equity blog series on IBX Insights

Independence Blue Cross Foundation

For more than a decade, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation has supported the people and organizations serving communities in southeastern Pennsylvania to improve access to care and increase educational opportunities. The IBC Foundation Institute for Health Equity was launched in 2022 to advance health equity in our region and nation.