CareFirst Contributed $38 Million To Health Initiatives in 2018

Money went to programs throughout the region improving access to quality health care

Baltimore, MD — CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), the region’s largest not-for-profit health insurer, contributed $38 million to nonprofit health organizations and public health care access programs throughout its mid-Atlantic service region in 2018.

CareFirst, one of the region's largest corporate givers, provided funding to 342 nonprofit organizations in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. Over the life of these investments, more than 400,000 individuals will be impacted. Examples include:

  • $2.1 million over two years to 11 community health organizations working to combat substance use disorders, including opioid use disorders;
  • $65,000 to Bread for the City to expand access to comprehensive primary care services in Southeast Washington, D.C.;
  • $140,000 over two years to A-SPAN to provide medical respite care for homeless clients in Northern Virginia; and,
  • $1.6 million in employee donations and company grants to United Way organizations in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and West Virginia.

CareFirst also announced a two-year, $2 million request for proposals (RFP) in 2018, offering grants to programs seeking to improve birth outcomes and maternal health, and lower infant mortality rates throughout the region. This $2 million RFP is in addition to CareFirst’s ongoing commitment to the B’more for Healthy Babies Initiative, which has lowered infant mortality rates by 36 percent since 2009.

“As a not-for-profit insurer, our mission is to not only ensure we are effectively serving 3.2 million members but to also strive to improve the overall health of the entire community, including those individuals who are under- or uninsured,” said CareFirst President & CEO Brian D. Pieninck. “The important work we set out to achieve in partnership with hundreds of local health care organizations allows us to address some of the most urgent health care needs in our region with an emphasis on reaching vulnerable populations in a meaningful way, including investing in initiatives that address the root causes of health disparities.”

CareFirst’s community giving strategy is designed to fund innovative programs working to improve health care delivery systems, promote change on broad health initiatives, address health care disparities that target high-risk populations, and improve the overall, long-term health of the communities in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. In 2018, this strategy focused funding on maternal and child health, safety net health services, and behavioral health care needs.

The company’s continued efforts to reinvest in community health care programs has repeatedly earned CareFirst regional accolades as a leading corporate philanthropist, including the No. 4 and No. 8 spots on the Baltimore Business Journal and Washington Business Journal’s 2018 list of top corporate givers, respectively.

More information about CareFirst’s community impact can be found at www.carefirst.com/community.

About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

In its 82nd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.2 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2018, CareFirst invested $38 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at www.carefirst.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Watch CareFirst
Community Giving 2018