On June 17, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies across the nation joined in a pledge to stand united against racism, hate and discrimination. Read the full pledge and our commitments to action here.
We know talking about change is not enough. Lasting change comes from listening, learning and acting. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is committed to taking these steps toward a stronger future of diversity and inclusion. We know there is work to be done. Moving forward, we will continue to listen and learn from communities across the state through advisory councils that are active in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Marquette, the Great Lakes Bay region, Oakland/Macomb counties, Flint, and Southeast Michigan. In each area, we invite representatives from faith-based, cultural, community, business, nonprofit, health care and other organizations to participate in a dialogue focused on community concerns. We will take action to continue providing corporate contributions and grant funding to communities across the state that are addressing barriers to access and disparities in health care that hold back communities of color. These efforts include supporting the health care safety net, reducing food insecurity and removing barriers to care while also supporting the expansion of mobile testing related to COVID-19 and prenatal care in our communities. We will amplify efforts such as the “Let’s Talk Health Week” program that highlights health disparities among minority groups and supports chronic illness prevention through community-based wellness events. The program emphasizes the importance of healthy lifestyles through proper nutrition and regular physical activity. Blue Cross is also addressing issues affecting communities of color through our Health Disparities Action Team. Our efforts focus on connecting members to primary care providers, creating awareness of unconscious bias among physicians and office staff while also focusing on the impact of these issues related to COVID-19 and providing community outreach to inform and educate.
