Press Releases: 2011

Keystone Mercy Health Plan of Pennsylvania receives Multicultural Health Care Distinction Award

Keystone Mercy Health Plan of Pennsylvania announced today that it has received the prestigious Multicultural Health Care (MHC) Distinction Award from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

Keystone Mercy Health Plan is one of seven health plans in the United States to apply as an early adopter for the Multicultural Health Care Distinction Award. As a leader in health care solutions for the underserved, Keystone Mercy Health Plan is involved in many programs aimed at helping our diverse membership improve their health.

NCQA, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality, developed the MHC Distinction as a way for health plans to monitor and improve culturally and linguistically appropriate services and reduce healthcare disparities. The MHC program requirements provide Healthcare companies with guidelines to refine their initiatives to reduce healthcare disparities.

Keystone earned the MHC Distinction by passing a rigorous examination of NCQA standards in the following areas:

• Race/Ethnicity and Language Data Collection
• Access and Availability of Language Services
• Practitioner Network Cultural Responsiveness
• Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Programs
• Reducing Health Care Disparities.

"Focusing on disparities yields better clinical outcomes and healthier communities," said Dr. Jay Feldstein, Regional President, Northern Division, of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies.

Keystone Mercy Health Plan participates in the NCQA annual member satisfaction survey, Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), as well as the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS). Both CAHPS and HEDIS results are analyzed to identify cultural and linguistic disparities and opportunities for improvement. The results are prioritized and programs are developed in addition to member outreach efforts. For example, in 2010, Keystone Mercy Health Plan identified a disproportionate number of African-American members on its Medicaid managed care plan that were not receiving timely prenatal treatment.

To improve outcomes for mothers and their babies, Keystone Mercy Health Plan modified its "Wee Care Program" designed to assist members with care before and after pregnancy. The program included the utilization of case managers, prenatal educational mailings, depression screenings, and referrals to community resources. Additionally, Community Baby Showers were hosted to provide Wee Care members with information about the importance of early and continuous prenatal care. Dental Screenings were also offered.

"To be successful in any HealthCare program, you have to be able to reach the people you're trying to impact," Feldstein said. "Our community baby showers achieve that goal in the African-American community."

About Keystone Mercy Health Plan

Keystone Mercy Health Plan, a member of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of companies, is a Medical Assistance (Medicaid) managed care health plan serving more than 300,000 Medical Assistance recipients in southeastern Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Keystone Mercy is a mission-driven company dedicated to helping members get care, stay well and build healthy communities. For more information about Keystone Mercy Health Plan, please visit www.keystonemercy.com.

For more information, contact Keystone Mercy at 215-937-8648.