DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – Aetna Better Health of Illinois, a CVS Health company, was awarded Health Equity Accreditation from The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

“Our team is committed to advancing health equity and ensuring our members have access and availability of health care resources,” said Rushil Desai, CEO, Aetna Better Health of Illinois. “Earning NCQA’s Health Equity Accreditation underscores our work to provide diverse populations with access to personalized care and a simplified health care experience.”

NCQA awards accreditation to organizations that meet or exceed its rigorous requirements for health equity. NCQA’s Health Equity Accreditation evaluates how well an organization complies with standards in the following areas:

· Organizational readiness

· Race/ethnicity, language, gender identity and sexual orientation

· Access and availability of language services

· Practitioner network cultural responsiveness

· Culturally and linguistically appropriate services programs

· Reducing health care disparities

“Earning Health Equity Accreditation 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 Health Equity Accreditation for Aetna Better Health of Illinois is valid until December 2025.

One of the ways Aetna Better Health of Illinois has been working to improve the health of under-resourced communities in the state is by leading more than 100 statewide COVID-19 vaccination distribution and education efforts. Aetna Better Health of Illinois collaborated with the state in a COVID-19 vaccine incentive campaign, which included reward cards and outreach to members. Aetna analyzed population health data to establish priority areas of focus based on vaccination status and hard to reach populations.

In 2022, the COVID-19 vaccination rate among Aetna Better Health of Illinois members, age 12 and up, increased from 29.4% overall to 48.4%.