Select Health earns recognition for Multicultural Health Care Excellence from NCQA
December 14, 2015
CLAS program garners only Multicultural Health Care Distinction among all South Carolina health plans
Select Health of South Carolina and its First Choice Medicaid health plan have again earned Multicultural Health Care Distinction from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). First Choice is the only health plan in South Carolina to achieve Multicultural Health Care Distinction. The First Choice Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) program garnered this recognition by coordinating plan-wide delivery of culturally competent health care to members statewide.
Select Health, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, which boasts four of the eight Medicaid health plans nationwide to hold this accolade.
Select Health was recognized by NCQA in 2010 as an “early adopter” of Multicultural Health Care Distinction standards. In 2011, First Choice by Select Health became one of the first seven health plans in America to formally receive this distinction. Select Health has maintained its distinction with NCQA, first with renewal in 2013 and now again in 2015.
“As a pioneer in multicultural health care, we’re extremely proud to earn this coveted distinction because it acknowledges our commitment to provide First Choice members with culturally and linguistically appropriate services,” said Rebecca Engelman market president at Select Health. “Our associates strive to remove cultural barriers, knowing that members are best served when we tailor our services to their personal preferences and needs.”
The goal of Select Health’s CLAS program is to ensure that all First Choice health plan members, regardless of race, ethnicity, linguistic preferences, country of origin, culture or gender, have access to quality health care services. The program is guided by the national CLAS standards developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health.
NCQA Distinction recognizes Select Health as an industry leader that actively works to provide programs and services to advance health equity. Select Health’s efforts include accessible written and oral language services, specialized training for employees and providers and innovative programs aimed at reducing health care disparities.
“Cultural competency is crucial to providing high quality health care,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA president. “Organizations achieving Multicultural Health Care Distinction are leaders in closing the ethnic and racial disparities gap, and NCQA commends them for their dedication.”
NCQA awards Multicultural Health Care Distinction to organizations that meet or exceed its rigorous requirements for multicultural health care. The distinction program evaluates how well an organization complies with standards in the following areas:
- Collection of race/ethnicity and language data
- Provision of language assistance
- Cultural responsiveness
- Quality improvement of culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and
- Reduction of health care disparities
NCQA’s Multicultural Health Care Distinction Report Card lists health care entities holding Multicultural Health Care Distinction at: www.ncqa.org/ReportCards/OtherHealthCareOrganizations/MulticulturalHealthCareDistinction.aspx.
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers.
For more info about Select Health’s commitment to culturally competent health care, visit www.selecthealthofsc.com/provider/member-care/cultural-competency.aspx. View Select Health’s 2015 Annual Message to the Community at www.selecthealthofsc.com/pdf/corporate/message-to-community.pdf.
Select Health of South Carolina Mission:
To help people get care, stay well and build healthy communities.
ABOUT SELECT HEALTH
Select Health of South Carolina is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2015, which demonstrates our strength, stability and expertise in providing access to high quality health care for South Carolinians.
Incorporated in 1995, Select Health was licensed as a Health Maintenance Organization by the South Carolina Department of Insurance in 1996. Later that year, the company contracted with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to offer First Choice, which is now the state’s oldest and largest health plan for Healthy Connections, South Carolina’s Medicaid program. First Choice serves members in all 46 counties statewide.
First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina is the top-rated Medicaid health plan in South Carolina, according to the NCQA’s Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2015-2016, and has been since 2010. (The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) uses other criteria for evaluating and ranking the performance of health plans serving Medicaid beneficiaries.) Select Health is the only health plan in South Carolina to hold NCQA’s Multicultural Health Care Distinction.
Select Health also offers the First Choice VIP Care Plus Medicare-Medicaid Plan in 38 counties of South Carolina and is a wholly-owned member of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies.
