UniCare Health Plan in West Virginia Receives Multicultural Health Care Distinction from the National Committee for Quality Assurance

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- UniCare Health Plan of West Virginia, the state's largest provider of Medicaid managed health care benefits, announced that is has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which awards distinction to organizations that meet or exceed its rigorous requirements for multicultural health care. In acknowledgement of these efforts, NCQA awarded the health plan with the Multicultural Health Care Distinction, which recognizes organizations that lead the market in providing culturally and linguistically sensitive services, and work to reduce health care disparities.

"As the demographics of America continue to shift to a more diverse society, UniCare of West Virginia continues to be attuned to the cultural and socio-economic factors that impact our members' access to high quality health care," said Mitch Collins, president of UniCare Health Plan of West Virginia. "We are honored to receive the NCQA Multicultural Health Care Distinction, as it is a testament to our unwavering commitment to address the needs of our distinct members and providers, and validates how we are making a positive impact in the diverse communities we serve."

In addition, NCQA also awarded the Multicultural Health Care Distinction to 16 other Medicaid health plans affiliated with UniCare's parent company.

"Earning Multicultural Health Care Distinction shows that an organization is making a breakthrough in providing excellent health care to diverse populations. I congratulate any organization that achieves this level of distinction," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane. "Eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care is essential to improving the quality of care overall."

The NCQA Multicultural Health Care Distinction is a symbol of quality in organizational efforts to address the diverse needs of its members. The Multicultural Health Care Distinction evaluates organizations, such as health plans, wellness, disease management and managed behavioral health organizations through use of an evidence-based set of requirements. These standards create a roadmap for improving and refining initiatives. ABOUT UNICARE HEALTH PLAN OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC. UniCare Health Plan of West Virginia, Inc. serves more than 130,000 Medicaid beneficiaries living in West Virginia. Every day, members of the UniCare team can be found in West Virginia communities listening to our members, interacting with our health care providers and partnering with community-based organizations. UniCare has served Medicaid beneficiaries in West Virginia since 2003. For more information about UniCare, visit http://mss.unicare.com/, and follow the company on Twitter @UniCareWV. ABOUT NCQA NCQA is a private, non-profit 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 is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers and researchers. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170502005531/en/

Keywords for this news article include: Medicaid, Managed Care, Health Policy, UniCare Health Plan of West Virginia Inc.

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