Honors Given to Six Employers for Reducing Healthcare Inequality at Work

When it comes to supporting a diverse group of workers, six companies stand out in how effectively they are making sure that their healthcare benefits meet all of their workers needs.  The six companies that were honored by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) as committed “to reducing healthcare disparities” among their workers and supporting a workplace that is diverse were: Aetna, American Express, H.J. Heinz Company, St. Francis Medical Center’s Franciscan Clinic, Verizon, and Wyndham Worldwide.

Why were these companies chosen?  Here are some of the reasons.  A full-time wellness director works for Wyndham Worldwide, whose job is to meet all of the employees wellness needs.  For minority women, Verizon has started conducting mammography screenings onsite to increase these women’s testing rates.  Increased access to quick care has been given to employees that are culturally diverse at The Franciscan Clinic.  Heinz has implemented support leaders that are bilingual and encourage wellness activity participation, as well as providing all of their written communication in Spanish and English.  Due to health clinics and wellness programs that are onsite, American Express has been able to reduce health risks for its employees that are from ethnic groups.  A study has been launched by Aetna on hypertension in African Americans.

The president of NBGH, Helen Darling, said it best, when she said these companies (and others like them) “…recognize that by addressing health and health care disparities, they are improving the value, quality, and effectiveness of the services their employees receive through health care benefits and productivity programs.”