Philly First, a The Philadelphia Inquirer initiative focused on positive news, published a full-page story titled The Code to a Healthier Philadelphia about how Independence Blue Cross (IBX) is leading the charge against health inequities in the Philadelphia area.
The article specifically highlights the work of the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine and Accelerate Health Equity, two health equity initiatives supported by a range of health systems and organizations in the Philadelphia region.
The article features comments by Dr. Richard Snyder, IBX executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Dr. Rodrigo Cerdá, senior vice president of Health Services and chief medical officer. Both leaders stressed the importance and complexity of the initiatives as well as the collaboration between the organizations that has allowed them to be successful.
“[Societal determinants of health] start at the top of the funnel with things that are not health-related at all,” Snyder says in the article about the Regional Coalition extends the work of AHE. “Clean water, clean air, the absence of housing, all the way down to disposable income and jobs.”
Cerdá adds, “Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve. And thinking about the fact that we serve a diverse population is how we drive those better outcomes for the entire community.”
IBX is a Signature Partner of Philly First. This “good news” journalism initiative includes featured content on the Philly First digital hub on the Inquirer’s website as well as print articles and social media.