SCAN Health Plan knew that it had its work cut out for it when the COVID-19 vaccine was approved late last year.
“There were so many surveys happening and people’s opinions of getting the vaccine when it comes out,” said Sharon Jhawar, SCAN’s chief pharmacy officer, in an interview with Fierce Healthcare. “We knew we would need certain populations to pull through”
SCAN, a Medicare Advantage insurer based in California, has reported progress in closing vaccination gaps among low-income and minority groups. The progress comes as vaccine hesitancy continues to grip the U.S. as the more transmissible delta variant caused a new surge of COVID-19.
Since February, the vaccination gap between black and white plan members was reduced from 17% to 6%. For Latinx members, it shrank from 11 to 4% and low-income members from 15 to 8%, according to new data from the insurer.
Jhawar said that heavily targeted outreach to these communities was the key to closing the gaps.
“We are heavily in the community so we knew our community presence would need to have a specific focus on building that trust and confidence,” Jhawar said.
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For example, the insurer engaged with predominately African American churches.
“We met with over 100 senior leaders at [African Methodist Episcopal] churches and congregations to answer their questions,” Jhawar said.
The goal was to ensure that the leaders become their own advocates in the community and answer any questions.
Another tool SCAN used was tele-talks with Latinx and African American members in specific town hall sessions. These talks allow the insurer to connect with members in a way that "was stronger historically than on other healthcare-related topics,” Jhawar said.
SCAN employed several other tools to reach people who wanted to get vaccinated but could not due to several barriers. For instance, once the vaccine was approved, states erected mass vaccination sites to dole out shots.
“Not everyone could get to a super site or make it to their local pharmacy and identify those homebound found and bring the vaccine into the home,” Jhawar said. “That was an initiative where we launched so folks could have the ease of not figuring out the logistics.”
SCAN debated who would be the best healthcare professional to enter the home to deliver vaccinations.
“A lot of folks were thinking about home health providers,” Jhawar said. “We leveraged on [emergency medical technicians]. There is that 15 minutes afterward to be monitored. We figured EMTs are very well qualified should anyone have a reaction.”
Reluctant members were also heartened to know an EMT was coming since they could have apprehension about getting the vaccine or its side effects, she added.
Overall SCAN delivered 300 vaccine doses to members at home.
SCAN also created its own local events at its headquarters for members that were uncomfortable standing in lone lines at the supersites. The insurer also devoted a COVID-19 vaccine line dedicated to addressing questions from members.
“There is a lot of misinformation going on out there,” said Jhawar, who has helped cover the line. “I am personally spending my time course-correcting on what the real information is and be open-minded to understanding their perspective and share their perspective.”