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Press Release: 2011

Select Health Presents Multicultural Best Practices at National Conference

Select Health of South Carolina is one of four healthcare organizations presenting its best practices at the National Committee for Quality Assurance's (NCQA) Introduction to the Standards for Multicultural Health Care seminar. NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality. Select Health operates South Carolina’s largest Medicaid health plan, First Choice, and was recently awarded NCQA's Multicultural Health Care Distinction (MHC).

"To be selected by NCQA to share best practices with our peers is a huge honor," said Cindy Helling, executive director of Select Health. "Our senior cultural competency coordinator led our organization through the early adopter's MHC Distinction process and developed a number of culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and tools that would certainly benefit any organization seeking MHC Distinction."

During her conference presentation, Jillian Lemay, senior cultural competency coordinator for Select Health, gave attendees an overview of Select Health’s approach to race, ethnicity and language (REL) data collection, availability and accessibility of language services and developing interventions aimed at reducing healthcare disparities. She also shared several challenges and opportunities Select Health uncovered during its MHC Distinction submission process. Ms. Lemay finished the best practices discussion with recommendations for health plans beginning the MHC Distinction process.

ABOUT SELECT HEALTH
Incorporated in 1995, Select Health was licensed as a Health Maintenance Organization by the South Carolina Department of Insurance in 1996. Later that year, the company contracted with the Department of Health and Human Services to offer First Choice, the state’s first Medicaid health plan. Select Health operates South Carolina's largest Medicaid health plan and is a wholly owned subsidiary of AmeriHealth Mercy. The AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies touches the lives of more than 7 million members nationwide. Select Health has more than 220 dedicated associates working throughout South Carolina. For more information, visit www.selecthealthofsc.com.