IEHP earns NCQA Health Equity Accreditation

Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) received Health Equity Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), becoming one of two public health plans in the state to earn the designation. 

“This honor represents another milestone in IEHP’s quality journey,” said Genia Fick, vice president of quality. “The NCQA Health Equity Accreditation demonstrates IEHP’s strong fundamental processes as we strive for optimal care and vibrant health throughout the Inland Empire.”

NCQA awards this accreditation to organizations that meet or exceed its rigorous requirements for health equity.  According to the NCQA, standards for the Health Equity Accreditation program focuses on the foundation of health equity work by:

• Building an internal culture that supports the organization’s external health equity work.
• Collecting data that helps the organization create and offer language services and provider networks mindful of individuals’ cultural and linguistic needs.
• Identifying opportunities to reduce health inequities and improve care.

“Earning Health Equity Accreditation shows that an organization is making a breakthrough in providing excellent health care to diverse populations,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “I congratulate any organization that achieves this level of distinction.”

With its entrance into the Covered California health exchange, 2024 is expected to be an impactful year for IEHP. Health Equity Accreditation is among the quality program requirements for Covered California, which ends open enrollment on Jan. 31.

“This accreditation reinforces IEHP’s long-standing commitment to address health disparities and move IEHP’s mission for health equity forward,” said Lorena Chandler, IEHP’s vice president and chief health equity officer. “We are excited to find better ways to serve our members.”

With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans, the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid public health plan in the country, and for the third year in a row, certified as A Great Place To Work®. In its 27th year, IEHP supports more than 1.4 million Riverside and San Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). Today, IEHP has a growing network of nearly 6,800 providers and more than 3,000 team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health. To learn more, go to iehp.org.

NCQA is a private, nonprofit 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’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more-informed health care choices. NCQA can be found online at ncqa.org, on Twitter, on Facebook  and on Linkedin.