Health Equity Accreditation Programs

The health care industry is reevaluating how to improve health equity across all populations. Committing to eliminating health disparities in underserved populations not only results in better health outcomes, but also reduces overall treatment costs.

Federal and state agencies are looking for health organizations that establish guidelines to identify and close gaps in unequal treatment. The emphasis on health equity has become a priority in business: employers increasingly choose to contract only with accredited organizations that deliver high-quality, equitable health care to their employees.

The Health Equity Journey

Improving health equity requires engagement and partnerships across the entire health care industry, as well as with industry stakeholders such as employers, regulators and community-based organizations. NCQA Health Equity Accreditation and Health Equity Accreditation Plus are a guide to help health systems, health plans and other care organizations advance health equity.

Health Equity Accreditation and Health Equity Accreditation Plus support health care organizations in evaluating and elevating the health of the populations they serve.

NCQA recognizes that organizations may be in different places on their health equity journey.

Health Equity Accreditation is for organizations beginning their journey to improve health equity that seek to formalize structures, processes and goals for identifying and addressing health disparities.

Health Equity Accreditation Plus is for organizations that have implemented core Health Equity Accreditation activities and are ready to focus on the community and cross-sector partnerships in health equity and on the roles of social drivers of health.

Together, these programs distinguish an organization as a high-quality business partner and a trusted community partner with an ongoing commitment to health equity.