Medicaid Health Plan Will Reimburse Health Equity Certification

Meridian Health Plan of Illinois, Inc.—a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation that offers Medicaid coverage—announced that it will cover part of the fee hospitals must pay to undergo health equity certification through the Joint Commission.

“We're thrilled to be the first Medicaid health plan in the country to leverage The Joint Commission's Health Care Equity Certification to advance our mission to transform the health of the community, one person at a time," said Cristal Gary, president and chief executive officer of Meridian Plan.

Meridian Plan will supply a quarter of the annual application fee for hospitals that qualify as safety net or critical access hospitals and are in-network for Meridian Plan. Other hospitals can also receive reimbursement, but they will only receive a 15 percent reimbursement. The health plan’s goal in offering this aid is to support providers’ efforts to reduce local care disparities.

The Joint Commission is a nonprofit that seeks to improve patient safety and quality of care, not only in the US but around the world. Its Health Care Equity Certification provides a structure where healthcare organizations can improve health equity progress.

The certificate program, which launched in July 2023, leads healthcare organizations to consider their health equity work in a variety of areas. Participants learn how to embed health equity in an organization’s strategy, work with community organizations, collect and assess care disparities data, advance equity within the workforce, and set health equity goals.

"Health care equity is not only an issue of social justice, but also a fundamental issue of patient safety and quality of care," Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, president and chief executive officer of The Joint Commission enterprise, explained in the press release. "The Health Care Equity Certification Program distinguishes those organizations making health care equity a strategic priority, and those that are collaborating with patients, families, caregivers, and external organizations to identify and address needs that help translate equitable health care into better outcomes."