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Advocacy & Public Policy
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Transforming Healthcare in 2024—With Care
At CareFirst, we go beyond traditional healthcare to advance positive health outcomes and provide an experience that meets the evolving needs of the people and communities we serve. Driven by this mission, we create and support initiatives and innovations that tackle the root causes of health disparities and poor health outcomes. Our 2024 Mission Report highlights the milestones, partnerships, collaborations and innovations brought forth to transform healthcare—with care.
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Medicare at 60: Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future
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As Medicare celebrates six decades of service, we reflect on its legacy and explore how CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is helping shape its future—through innovation, advocacy and a commitment to equitable, affordable care.
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The Plot Twist We Can Prevent: What The Pitt Tells Us About the Power of Proactive and Timely Care
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In the pilot episode of The Pitt, Theresa Saunders fakes a medical emergency to get her son the care he needs. This dramatic scenario highlights a critical issue: the importance of early intervention and accessible preventive services. Discover how proactive policies can transform healthcare and prevent crises before they happen.
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Event Recap: Securing Consumer Health Data: Balancing Privacy, Access, and Innovation
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Event Recap: Securing Consumer Health Data: Balancing Privacy, Access and Innovation Cyberattacks on healthcare hit 182 million people last year. As digital tools grow, so do threats to your health data. Discover how experts are working to protect privacy while advancing innovation.
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The Behavioral Health Crisis: Policy Solutions to Support Access Through Technology
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Discover how innovative technology and strategic policy solutions are addressing the behavioral health crisis. Learn about the partnerships and initiatives making mental health care more accessible and affordable for all.
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Celebrating Women’s History Month: CareFirst’s Commitment to Women’s Health
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Join us in honoring Women’s History Month as we highlight the vital contributions of women and our unwavering commitment to their health. Discover how our innovative programs and strategic partnerships ensure women receive the preventive care, maternal healthcare and essential services they need at every life stage. Learn more about our efforts to empower women through education and advocacy for long-term well-being.
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Health Equity in Motion: Addressing Social Drivers of Health in Our Communities
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At CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, we are committed to achieving health equity by addressing the social drivers of health that shape our well-being. From economic stability and education to access to healthcare and safe environments, our initiatives and partnerships aim to create a more equitable healthcare system and improve health outcomes for all.
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How to Protect Your Privacy During Open Enrollment
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As millions of Americans navigate open enrollment, it's crucial to protect your personal information from cyber threats. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield offers tips to safeguard your data, such as avoiding public Wi-Fi, verifying email authenticity and using encryption. Policymakers are also urged to enhance cybersecurity measures to ensure a safe enrollment process for all.
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Event Recap: More than Medicine: How Medicaid Addresses Social Needs
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CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield recently hosted a panel discussion titled "More than Medicine: How Medicaid Addresses Social Needs." Experts discussed the critical role of Medicaid in addressing health-related social needs, emphasizing the importance of partnerships and innovative initiatives. The event highlighted the ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes and manage healthcare costs for low-income individuals.
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Strengthening Maternal Health: Improving Connections Between Medicaid and WIC
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The U.S. faces significant challenges in maternal health. One underutilized yet impactful resource is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), but participation remains low. By bridging gaps between Medicaid and WIC, through improved outreach and better data integration, maternal and child health outcomes can be enhanced, leading to better care and reduced costs.
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A Cause for Celebration and a Call to Action: Ensuring Employer-Provided Health Coverage Continues to Thrive for Another 50 Years
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As the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) celebrates its 50th anniversary, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield applauds Congress and the healthcare industry for recognizing this milestone, and we urge policymakers to safeguard ERISA to ensure employer-sponsored insurance remains accessible and affordable for American families.
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Event Recap: Leveraging Innovation and Flexibility for a Healthier Workforce
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CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield recently hosted a discussion, Leveraging Innovation and Flexibility for a Healthier Workforce, highlighting employers who offer creative health benefit solutions and wellbeing programs to help control costs and meet the unique needs of their employees and their families.
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The Wellness Awakening: How Connectivity & Digital Health Technology Can Improve Health Outcomes
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August marks National Wellness Month, a time to emphasize the importance of prioritizing activities and choices that lead to an improved state of physical, mental and social well-being. Today, access to consumer digital health technology can play an important role in achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, digital health tools are not readily available to all Americans, creating opportunities for policymakers to address the digital divide and in turn, improve health outcomes across various demographics.
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Prescription Drug Costs: Addressing Access & Affordability
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Today, millions of families across the United States are worried about affording the healthcare they need. Whether it’s paying for medicines for heart disease, diabetes, cancer or a host of other illnesses, millions of Americans wonder what expenses they can cut to afford these ever-increasing bills.
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Addressing High Drug Costs for Patient Access and Affordability
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Policymakers at the federal and state levels continue to pay significant attention to the impact of high prescription drug costs on patients’ ability to afford their drugs. And, while much of the discussion has been on the role of drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers, a recent Oliver Wyman study commissioned by AHIP shows healthcare providers like doctors and hospitals also contribute to high drug prices.
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Public Comment Letter: Advancing Health Equity by Design through Health IT
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In a comment letter to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield highlighted the important role of modernized technology infrastructure in promoting health equity.
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CareFirst Named a 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies Honoree® for the 12th Consecutive Year
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As one of the country’s largest not-for-profit healthcare companies, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) understands the importance of leading with integrity to ensure we are fulfilling our purpose and working toward our mission to ensure that healthcare is accessible to and affordable for our members, employees and communities.
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Public Comment Letter: Protecting ERISA to Enable Affordable, Quality Coverage
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In a comment letter to a House committee, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield emphasized the importance of protecting the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to enable employers to provide affordable, customized health coverage to employees.
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Healthy Competition Among Healthcare Providers Benefits Consumers
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When there is competition among healthcare providers, consumers benefit from lower costs, better care and more innovation.
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CareFirst’s 5th Annual Week of Equity & Action Cultivates Thriving Communities
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As the mid-Atlantic region’s largest not-for-profit health plan and a leading employer in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, CareFirst’s Week of Equity & Action is core to the organization’s mission to provide affordable, accessible and equitable healthcare for all. By dedicating time and resources to listening to one another and learning about different lived experiences, CareFirst and its employees can better act to meet the needs of the people and communities we serve.
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Advocating for Increased Access to Healthcare for Immigrants
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CareFirst submitted comments on a Federal proposed rule that, if finalized, would expand access to healthcare coverage for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. We believe everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or citizenship status, deserves access to quality, affordable healthcare.
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Advocating for Increased Access to Nutritious Food for Children and Families
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CareFirst recognizes the impact unmet social needs like food security have on the health of our communities. As part of our mission to reduce disparities in health outcomes, we strongly support two Federal proposed rules that, if finalized, would expand access to no-cost meals for children and nutritious foods for families.
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State of Reform: Policy Opportunities to Lower the Cost of Prescription Drugs
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Everyone should be able to get the medications they need at a price they can afford. Industry leaders discussed state initiatives to reduce drug costs, the Medicare drug price negotiation and more in a panel discussion called Methods to Lower the Cost of Drugs.
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Making a Difference in 2022
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In 2022, CareFirst contributed $24 million to support 358 nonprofit organizations and 400,000 individuals throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
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Medicaid Check-In: Partnerships in Maryland to Keep our Community Covered
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Starting in April 2023, Maryland has resumed eligibility reviews (redeterminations), which will take place over 12 months. To ensure continuity of coverage for those who remain eligible for Medicaid and those who do not, partnership and collaboration between and among federal and state governments, Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), health insurance exchanges, providers, and community partners is necessary.
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The State of Healthcare Affordability
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Did you know Maryland is the only state with an 'all-payer' payment system for hospital care? Under the Maryland Model, a hospital charges the same amount for every patient from the same facility. The model is not a permanent arrangement. The future of healthcare payment in Maryland is now in the hands of policymakers. Are they considering what healthcare consumers want from their healthcare?
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The Key to a Resilient Healthcare System
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Under the intense pressure of the pandemic, Maryland’s healthcare infrastructure proved remarkably resilient. Let’s make sure that continues to be possible.
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Protecting Consumers’ Data In a Digital World
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Protecting consumer data is a priority for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst). Ensuring the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems is a necessary part of maintaining trust and delivering high-quality services to our customers and providers.
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Promoting Health Privacy in a Digital World
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CareFirst is committed to providing consumers with the best service while protecting their information and respecting their right to privacy. Consumers entrust us with their personal and medical information. We take protecting that information seriously.
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Prioritizing Quality of Care with Value-Based Care Partnerships
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Brian Wheeler, Vice President of Provider Collaboration and Network Transformation at CareFirst BlueCross Blue Shield (CareFirst), joined WTOP News to discuss CareFirst’s work in value-based care from advocacy to provider collaboration and partnerships.
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Advocating for a Qualified Resident Enrollment Program in Maryland
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CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) recently had the opportunity to provide a testimony in favor of Senate Bill 365 Qualified Resident Enrollment Program (Access to Care Act). If passed, this bill will create a life-changing opportunity for many to access health insurance coverage.
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Common-Sense Solutions for Rising Drug Prices
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Prescription drug prices continue to rise at an unreasonable pace, straining many families’ ability to afford them. See what simple yet effective solutions we’re proposing to turn the tide.
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What You Should Know About Maryland's Unique Healthcare Payment Model
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CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) commissioned NORC at the University of Chicago—to understand the perceptions and experiences of healthcare consumers in Maryland.
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Advocating for More Equitable and Inclusive Transit-Oriented Development in Maryland
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CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield recently had the opportunity to provide a written testimony in favor of more equitable and inclusive transit-oriented development in the state of Maryland. Tricia Swanson shared a testimony in support of House Bill 12 (HB 12), Equitable and Inclusive Transit-Oriented Development Enhancement Act, as it would establish a capital grant and revolving loan fund to promote equitable and inclusive development around State-designated Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) sites to bring more TODs benefits to communities around Maryland.
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Is Healthcare in Maryland Affordable?
By Char MacDonald, Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs, CareFirst | January 30, 2023 | Community Impact
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Earlier this year, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) commissioned NORC at the University of Chicago—an independent, nonpartisan research organization—to perform a field survey.
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A Multi-Faceted Approach to Addressing the Behavioral Health Crisis
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Access to behavioral healthcare is shrinking. The time for policymakers to act is now.
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Payer Perspective on Collaboration with Providers and the Future of Value-Based Care
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Brian Wheeler, Vice President of Provider Collaboration and Network Transformation for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), delivered a keynote address for Modern Healthcare’s Payer-Provider Collaboration Virtual Briefing. In this keynote address, Brian discussed the current performance of healthcare in the United States and the opportunity value-based care holds for the future. He also shared CareFirst’s approach to collaborating with healthcare provider organizations to identify new ways to deliver care, improve quality for patients and slow the rate of rise in healthcare costs.
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Preventing, Managing Diabetes Through A Holistic Approach
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More people today are living with diabetes than ever before. CareFirst is advancing a multi-pronged approach to help drive down costs associated with diabetes care and promote preventative healthcare measures for individuals living with diabetes through advocacy and partnerships, community support, and complete care solutions.
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Medicaid Eligibility Redeterminations: Keeping Our Community Covered
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As part of CareFirst's mission, we assist and support public and private initiatives for individuals without health insurance. We recently hosted a virtual event to discuss Medicaid Eligibility Redeterminations.
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Advancing Equity - Ensuring Overall Health and Well-Being of our Communities
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CareFirst outlines several ways policymakers can help advance equity and inclusion in healthcare.
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Event Recap: Keeping Your Secrets Safe—A Healthy Discussion about Protecting Consumer Health Information
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In a recent virtual event hosted by CareFirst, a panel of industry experts addressed the following: what information HIPAA protects, the increasing amount of sensitive health data being collected and stored by entities not subject to HIPAA, Privacy and security safeguards that should exist for all consumer health data, policy interventions that could further protect consumer health data, and more.
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The Importance of Building a Racially Diverse Public Health Workforce
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Jasmine Leonard, M.P.H., Health Equity Enterprise Manager at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, discusses with the AFRO American Newspapers why a diverse public health workforce is essential to a public health approach that proactively addresses the political and social determinants of health.
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Improving Market Dynamics for Medicare Advantage in Maryland
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Maryland has one of the lowest Medicare Advantage penetration rates in the nation which is a missed opportunity to better serve our Medicare-eligible community.
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The Prescription for Affordable Drugs
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CareFirst’s panel discussion explored potential solutions to increase access to affordable prescription drugs. The issue of prescription drug prices is complicated. Who should take the wheel on finding a solution?
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Event Recap: The Affordable Care Act: Celebrating the Past, Securing the Future
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To celebrate 10 years of the Affordable Care Act, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield brought together industry experts for a special event The Affordable Care Act: Celebrating the Past, Securing the Future. Here’s what they had to say.
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CareFirst Demonstrates Commitment to LGBTQ+ Equality
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For the fourth year in a row, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) has received a rating of 100% on its two submitted surveys from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The Human Rights Campaign is the largest LGBTQ advocacy group and LGBTQ political lobbying organization in the United States. A 100% rating by the HRC recognizes CareFirst’s commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and equity.
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Event Recap: The Prescription for Affordable Drugs
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CareFirst recently hosted a panel discussion exploring policy solutions to increase access to prescription drugs.
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Working with Policymakers to Expand Access to Affordable Coverage
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See the specific actions CareFirst is recommending to policymakers to help curb rising healthcare costs for our members.
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Event Recap: Addressing the Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage
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CareFirst recently hosted an event on a critical topic–the behavioral health workforce shortage.
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Healthcare Experts Agree: We Must Move to Value-Based Care
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The consensus is clear—advancing towards value-based care is critical to addressing our healthcare system's current challenges. The following article details this need and the desire to partner with providers to move our healthcare system forward.
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Transforming DC Medicaid to Most Effectively Serve Enrollees
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As a District Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) with over 66,000 enrollees, CareFirst Community Health Plan DC (CHPDC) is committed to providing care to the District’s most vulnerable individuals, including low-income adults, pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Below, you will find our recommendations for transforming the healthcare experience for our members and communities, focusing on quality, equity, affordability and access to care.
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Biden Administration Takes Action to Protect Consumers and Reduce Costs
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The Biden administration recently took action to end surprise medical bills and protect consumers by issuing new rules called “Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part 2.” CareFirst looks forward to partnering with the administration to safeguard consumers from surprise medical bills.
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Event Recap: Seize the Data, Spot the Disparities
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The following panel discussion featured industry experts sharing insights on the importance of accessing and unlocking the potential of patient demographic data, including race, ethnicity and language.
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The Role Employers Have in Promoting Health Equity
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Destiny-Simone Ramjohn, Vice President of Community Health and Social Impact for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, recently authored an article for the Business Journals , sharing insights on the role employers have in Social determinants of health(SDOH).
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Transforming Maryland Medicaid to Most Effectively Serve Enrollees
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CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland is committed to providing care to Maryland’s most vulnerable populations, including low-income adults, pregnant women, children, and people with disabilities. The following article details our recommendations to transform healthcare, focusing on quality, equity, affordability, and access to care.
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U.S. Supreme Court California v. Texas Decision on the ACA
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News of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in California v. Texas led to a great deal of reactions to the rulings. In a 7-2 ruling, the majority states that the plaintiffs have no legal right to sue the individual mandate of the ACA.
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The State of Health Equity in Maryland
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A keynote panel on centering health equity in state policies, which included CareFirst’s President and CEO Brian D. Pieninck, closed out the State of Reform’s 2021 Maryland Health Policy Conference.
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Data & Partnerships: Keys to Managing Access to Quality, Affordable, Equitable Healthcare
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The 2021 Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conference featured keynote sessions. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield provided industry expertise in three sessions, including discussions on managing affordability and healthcare costs.
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Panel Discussion: Zooming in on Telehealth
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The following panel discussion featured industry experts sharing insights on the role of telehealth in the future of care delivery and what is most beneficial for patients and providers moving forward.
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Leveraging Federal Funding to Impact Social Determinants of Health
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Given the significant funding distributed to state and local jurisdictions, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides a unique opportunity for policymakers to focus on key social determinants of health initiatives.
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CareFirst Champions American Rescue Plan
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Increasing the accessibility, affordability and quality of healthcare for all is at the heart of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which aligns perfectly with CareFirst’s mission as a not-for-profit organization.
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How Policymakers Can Enable Value-Based Care
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CareFirst offers policymakers several areas of focus to help promote and accelerate the shift from volume- to value-based care.
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Expanding Access to Care through Telehealth
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As the use of telehealth skyrockets during the pandemic, CareFirst is encouraging policymakers to support its continued growth and affordability.
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