Health Net Helping Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
April 09 2015 - 5:10PM
Business Wire
April is National Minority Health Month
Health Net, Inc. (NYSE: HNT) sees
National Minority Health Month as an opportunity to highlight the
importance of identifying and reducing health disparities impacting
racial and ethnic minorities.
Americans are living longer and healthier lives. However, it’s
unfortunate that health disparities between racial and ethnic
groups continue to exist, with many chronic health conditions
disproportionately affecting certain groups.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services:
- Non-Hispanic black adults are at least
50 percent more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to die of
heart disease or stroke before age 75.
- African Americans, American Indians and
Alaska Natives are twice as likely to receive a diabetes diagnosis
– and Pacific Islanders are more than three times as likely –
compared to whites.
- African Americans have the highest
death rate and shortest survival rate of any racial and ethnic
group in the United States for most cancers.
Closing the Disparity Gap
Tao Le, M.D., Health Net regional medical director, explained
how Health Net is committed to removing barriers that prevent
people from achieving their full health potential. For example, the
company offers:
- Language services – Health Net
interpreters are trained in health care terminology and offer
member-preferred language support in more than 250 languages,
including sign language. In 2014, Health Net fulfilled more than
200,000 requests for telephonic interpreter services and more than
2,200 requests for face-to-face interpreters.
- Cultural competency and health
disparities training – Health Net provides training and tools
to its workforce and contracting health care providers to break
down communication barriers across cultures. In 2014, it held
approximately 40 language services, cultural competency and health
literacy training sessions for more than
6,400 participants.
- Health literacy – Health Net
members receive culturally and linguistically appropriate materials
in easy-to-understand language. Health Net also provides alternate
formats for members, including large font, Braille, audio as well
as accessible portable document format (PDF).
- Condition-specific health
disparities – Health Net designs member-distinct programs and
services, such as the ones created for diabetic Latinos featuring
classes, a cookbook with healthy versions of traditional Latino
dishes, and a pocket guide for health care providers outlining
cultural considerations.
Multicultural Health Care Distinction
In 2014, Health Net was the first health plan nationwide to be
awarded the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s
Multicultural Health Care Distinction simultaneously for its
commercial, Medicare and Medicaid lines of business.
“This prestigious award sets us apart from other health plans in
that it’s only given to organizations that engage in efforts to
improve culturally and linguistically appropriate services and
reduce health-care disparities,” said Le. “Health Net has long been
committed to achieving health equity across our diverse population
of members. We firmly believe that race, ethnicity and gender
should not impact anyone’s ability to live a long, heathy
life.”
About Health Net
Health Net, Inc. is a publicly traded managed care organization
that delivers managed health care services through health plans and
government-sponsored managed care plans. Its mission is to help
people be healthy, secure and comfortable. Health Net provides and
administers health benefits to approximately 6.0 million
individuals across the country through group, individual, Medicare
(including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly referred
to as “Part D”), Medicaid, dual eligible, U.S. Department of
Defense, including TRICARE, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
programs. Health Net also offers behavioral health, substance abuse
and employee assistance programs, managed health care products
related to prescription drugs, managed health care product
coordination for multi-region employers, and administrative
services for medical groups and self-funded benefits programs.
For more information on Health Net, Inc., visit Health Net’s
website at www.healthnet.com.
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Net. Please be aware that references and links to other websites
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Health Net, Inc.Lori Rieger, (602)
794-1415lori.rieger@healthnet.comwww.twitter.com/hnlori
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