Ensuring everyone has the same opportunity to be healthy
Health equity means making certain that every person has the opportunity to achieve their optimum health. Unfortunately, many social and environmental factors can limit a person’s access to and continued use of good health practices and healthcare
Examples of these factors include:
- Racial and ethnic discrimination
- Lack of access to quality education
- Income and wealth gaps
- Inadequate or lack of housing
- Unsafe environments
Reducing, challenging or overcoming these obstacles requires adaptive changes—auditing existing systems, roles and responsibilities—from communities, governments and healthcare organizations. Enter CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst).
In an interview with WTOP News, Kimberly Harris, CareFirst’s Director of Community Health and Social Impact, discusses health disparities in our communities and talks about the investments CareFirst is making to uplift the disadvantaged and advance health equity.
“We have health equity as a strategy for all of the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield plans. We’re looking at factors such as maternal health, diabetes and cardiovascular disease to really be intentional about the work that we’re doing when we see high disparities in certain areas.”
Kim Harris, Director, Community Health and Social Impact, CareFirst
Read the full WTOP article here.
Learn more on carefirst.com/community.