BCBSND receives full URAC accreditation for Health Plan and Health Plan for Health Insurance Exchange
FARGO, N.D. — Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) has received full URAC accreditation for Health Plan and Health Plan for Health Insurance Exchange.
"By applying for and receiving URAC accreditation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota has demonstrated a commitment to quality healthcare," said URAC President and CEO Kylanne Green. "Quality healthcare is crucial to our nation's welfare and it is important to have organizations that are willing to measure themselves against national standards and undergo rigorous evaluation by an independent accrediting body."
URAC, formerly known as the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission, is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, education and measurement.
URAC's accreditation process involves a rigorous four-phase review, which can take as long as six months to complete. After completing a desktop review of BCBSND's policies and procedures, contracts and departmental plans, the accreditation review team conducts an on-site review to verify compliance with the standards. URAC reviewers conducted audits, analyzed personnel and credentialing files, reviewed education and quality management programs. After review of BCBSND's desktop and onsite review findings, URAC's Accreditation and Executive Committees scored BCBSND 100 percent compliant in both applications.
"Achieving this accreditation is validation of the quality services that we provide to our customers," said Jacquelyn Walsh, vice president of Clinical Excellence and Quality at BCBSND.
BCBSND has held URAC accreditation for Health Utilization Management (HUM) standards since 1993 and in 2013 received provisional accreditation for Health Plan for Health Insurance Exchange, which is required for all insurers to participate on state health insurance exchanges or marketplaces.
The URAC accreditation process demonstrates a commitment to quality services and serves as a framework to improve business processes through benchmarking organizations against nationally recognized standards.
Cindy Gohner, director of Quality Management at BCBSND, said this latest URAC accreditation means that the company fully meets strict quality standards, which leads to increased operational efficiencies and helps the company deliver solutions to improve the care and health of its members.
About URAC
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is a well-known leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation, education, and measurement programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that model the rapid changes in the health care system and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire healthcare industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota
BCBSND is a member-owned, not-for-profit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. As North Dakota's largest provider of health care coverage, BCBSND is taking BOLD steps to collaborate with doctors, hospitals, clinics and members to ensure affordable access to quality health care in the state. To learn more about BCBSND, visit www.BCBSND.com.
