WASHINGTON, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans receive health care services that are in sync with the latest scientific evidence only about half the time. Studies also find that racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. receive a lower quality of care than non-minorities and are at greater risk for certain diseases. There is widespread agreement that data are fundamental building blocks to identifying differences in the care experienced by specific populations to developing programs to address differences, and to ensuring a higher standard of care. To date, national studies have identified very few providers or institutions that address disparities in care using a data- driven, quality improvement approach.
However, according to a new study of health insurance companies released today by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), half of responding companies now collect data on the race and ethnicity of their members. This is an essential step to addressing gaps in care often experienced by minorities in the U.S. Data are provided on a voluntary basis at various points of access, including the time of enrollment in the insurance plan, at enrollment in a specialized program for an individual with chronic disease, and/or when a need for translation services is identified.
Because a significant number (68%) of health insurance plans collecting data report initiating their programs in 1998 or later, and 35% report they began data collection as recently as 2002 or 2003, the results of the study point to substantial progress in this area.
“Addressing the problem of unequal treatment in health care is a top priority for our nation and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., RWJF President and CEO. “We are encouraged by these results because quality improvement can ultimately reduce gaps in care experienced by minorities and all Americans. Health insurers can play a leadership role in the effort, and we know that they will be a key component of the solutions to reduce these disparities in treatment.”
Under a grant from RWJF, AHIP surveyed health insurance plans in late 2003 to determine what data are being collected and how the data are being used. The survey, which included companies that provide private insurance coverage and companies that provide coverage to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, elicited responses from 137 plans out of a total of 302 plans surveyed. The companies that responded to the survey represent 88 million members.
This quantitative work was supplemented by follow-up one-on-one discussions, a focus group of health insurance plan leaders, and a day-long expert panel to review the findings and recommend next steps.
According to the study, companies use data primarily to identify and reach out to individuals with risk factors for certain health conditions who may benefit from disease management programs; support linguistically and culturally appropriate communications; and buttress quality improvement efforts that are designed to reduce difference in care.
“Our members are taking on the challenge of health care disparities,” said AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni. “AHIP intends to serve as a hub for exchanging information on what is working to overcome gaps in care experienced by minorities in our health care system,” she said.
While the new RWJF/AHIP study suggests significant progress, companies continue to cite barriers to data collection, especially concerns about the perceptions of members and local communities, difficulties in obtaining reliable data, and questions about limitations that may exist in state law or regulation.
While data are fundamental to quality improvement, a challenge to the entire health care system is to employ what the Institute of Medicine’s 2002 report, Unequal Treatment, called “a comprehensive, multi-level strategy” to eliminate disparities. For example, a number of companies participating in the survey have developed cultural competency training programs for providers as a major component of their overall quality improvement efforts in the area of disparities in care.
A compete analysis of the study is at http://www.ahip.net/. America’s Health Insurance Plans - Providing Health Benefits to More Than 200 Million Americans
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, NJ, is the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. It concentrates its grantmaking in four goal areas: to assure that all Americans have access to quality health care at reasonable cost; to improve the quality of care and support for people with chronic health conditions; to promote healthy communities and lifestyles; and to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse -- tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs.
America’s Health Insurance Plans
CONTACT: Susan Pisano of America’s Health Insurance Plans,+1-202-778-3245; or Andrea Daitz of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,+1-609-627-5937
Web site: http://www.ahip.net/
