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To find out who your legislator is call 202-224-3121. |
CareFirst Watch Coalition Update
GWSCSW participated in a public health needs assessment this summer for a study
commissioned by the DC Appleseed Center investigating how our local BlueCross
BlueShield affiliate, CareFirst/GHMSI*,
might define and implement a community service mission in the Washington
metropolitan area. The study will be issued in early December.
The study is expected to encompass review of the legal obligations of CareFirst as a non-profit charity to serve the community, examination of how it fulfills those obligations, the survey of public health needs of the metropolitan area to identify urgent needs, and consideration of how comparable nonprofit insurers in other parts of the country meet public health obligations in the communities they serve.
GWSCSW participates in the CareFirst Watch Coalition to bring pressure to bear on CareFirst/GHMSI to embrace its statutory responsibility and to advocate for mental health programs as an integral part of public health the compliance efforts.
Watch for the public announcement of the release of the final report.
*Group
Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc., or GHMSI, has operated as a
nonprofit health insurer since 1939, and serves the District, Montgomery and
Prince Georges County, and Virginia (North of Route 123). In 1997, GHMSI
affiliated with BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland to form a Maryland holding
company, CareFirst, Inc.; they were joined in 1999 by BlueCross BlueShield of
Delaware. All three companies are organized and operated as nonprofits.
Mary Lee Stein is our GWSCSW representative on the CareFirst Watch Coalition
steering committee.
For GSCSW Legislative
Information contact:
GWSCSW
PO Box 3235
Oakton VA 22124
202-537-0007
Fax: 703-938-8389
email: gwscsw@gmail.com
Website http://www.gwscsw.org