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New Report Details Safety Net Health Plan Strategies to Advance COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 4, 2021
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Van Ness, (202) 204-7515, jvanness@communityplans.net
NEW REPORT DETAILS SAFETY NET HEALTH PLAN STRATEGIES TO ADVANCE COVID-19 VACCINE ROLLOUT
WASHINGTON— A new issue brief from the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) details the challenges posed by the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and how Safety Net Health Plans across the country overcame obstacles to ensure their members were able to access vaccines.
An August issue brief from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services highlights the continuing need for such work from health plans; it estimated that nearly half of unvaccinated adults in the U.S. (44%) expressed a willingness to get vaccinated.
ACAP plans and their members navigated several roadblocks during the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine including difficulty obtaining a vaccination appointment, lack of access to vaccine administration sites, vaccine hesitancy, and other social drivers of health. Vaccination data supplied to plans by state and local agencies were often outdated, which further complicated plans’ outreach efforts.
To overcome these hurdles, ACAP plans implemented a number of strategies, including creative messaging on the importance and safety of vaccinations using billboards, newspaper ads, and videos, establishing pilot programs to transport members to vaccination appointments, offering vaccine incentives, and leveraging partnerships with providers and community leaders.
The issue brief also highlights Safety Net Health Plan initiatives to reduce disparities in vaccine uptake by developing outreach and education programs specifically targeted to populations at risk and with high levels of medical need.
“The COVID-19 pandemic placed an unprecedented burden on the health care system, but ACAP Safety Net Health Plans’ determination to break down barriers to vaccination is a source of hope as we continue to fight this pandemic,” said ACAP CEO Margaret A. Murray. “We’re proud of our plans and their commitment to advancing health equity and access to care at a time when Americans rely on it most.”
Read the issue brief in full here.
About ACAP:
ACAP represents 78 health plans, which collectively provide health coverage to more than 20 million people. Safety Net Health Plans serve their members through Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Marketplace and other publicly-sponsored health programs. For more information, visit www.communityplans.net.
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