BlueCross BlueShield releases health equity report

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee has released its first ever health equity report.

This report was designed to study how race, among other socioeconomic factors, affects health outcomes in the state of Tennessee.

The report discusses six areas of research including these factors’ affects on maternal health, cancer and many other health issues.

They say this report will help them better tailor their healthcare offerings.

Sherri Zink, the Senior Vice President and Chief Data Engineering Officer for BlueCross BlueShield, “When you look at a lot of the rates, the metrics we see within each of these categories, those social drivers of health play a big part in the ability to move on those particular measures. And so we felt it was very important for us not only to show the measure just from a claims perspective, but then what we are also seeing from a social aspect to showcase we are actually looking at the whole person.”

They say many factors have been negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Bluecross plans on doing more research into equity in the future,