BMC HealthNet Plan Participates in More Than 350 Community Outreach Events During 2016

Boston Medical Center (BMC) HealthNet Plan, a nonprofit managed care organization providing healthcare coverage to underserved Massachusetts residents, today announced that it participated in more than 350 community health events throughout 2016. BMC HealthNet Plan works with more than 180 community organizations across the state to help provide education, resources and healthcare programs to populations which may not otherwise have access.

A constant community presence is critical to BMC HealthNet Plan’s initiatives: educating its members to advocate for and take control of their health; teaching the importance of exercise and proper nutrition; and offering support for people who are homeless or have complex health issues. By working with other like-minded organizations, BMC HealthNet Plan expands its reach to help as many people as possible find the resources to help them live their healthiest lives.

“We want to help our members take an active role in their health, but other barriers such as lack of housing, heating, and nutritious food often gets in the way,” said Petrina Cherry, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at BMC HealthNet Plan. “If a member can’t get enough food for their family, that becomes a more urgent need than visiting a doctor for their annual checkup or for a medical issue. That’s why we focus on lifting up the communities we serve by providing so much more than traditional medical care and support – we believe this is ultimately the best way to improve the health of a community.”

Highlights of 2016’s community events include:

• Continued partnership with Fresh Truck, a mobile food market operating out of a retrofitted school bus in Boston to bring healthy food options to community health centers located in food deserts. BMC HealthNet Plan sponsored more than 30 Fresh Truck events in 2016, distributing food to more than 3,000 families.

• In May, BMC HealthNet Plan worked with LUK, a nonprofit social service agency in central Massachusetts, to deliver personal hygiene packages to homeless youth across Worcester County. BMC HealthNet Plan assembled and donated 300 kits that included soap, sunscreen, a toothbrush and toothpaste, band aids and information on how to obtain health insurance coverage. The packages were distributed by LUK staff during a homeless youth count.

• BMC HealthNet Plan held a backpack and supply drive in July for Interfaith Social Services in Quincy to benefit local families that are unable to afford back-to-school items. BMC HealthNet Plan donated 20 backpacks filled with school supplies. BMC HealthNet Plan again partnered with Interfaith Social Services in December for their Help for the Holidays initiative, for which employees shopped for and donated more than 300 toys and clothing items to fulfill the holiday wish lists of 50 children.

About BMC HealthNet Plan

Boston Medical Center founded Boston Medical Center Health Plan, Inc. in 1997 as a nonprofit managed care organization doing business in Massachusetts as BMC HealthNet Plan. Outside of Massachusetts the business name is Well Sense Health Plan. BMC HealthNet Plan has received a rating of 4.5 out of 5 for its Massachusetts Medicaid product in the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) 2016-2017 Health Insurance Plan Ratings. This rating gives BMC HealthNet Plan the distinction of being one of the highest rated Medicaid health plans in the nation. BMC HealthNet Plan’s Medicaid HMO also has been awarded Commendable Accreditation status by the National Committee for Quality Assurance based on the results from its recent submissions of HEDIS® and CAHPS® data to NCQA. In addition, BMC HealthNet Plan’s Qualified Health Plan program has been awarded accredited status from NCQA, the highest accreditation level available at this time. NCQA awarded Well Sense Health Plan Commendable Accreditation.