This article is written by guest contributor Bukata Hayes, vice president of racial and health equity and chief equity officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

For many years, April has been designated as Health Equity Month in Minnesota. It is a time for all allies and advocates to reassert our commitment in taking on “unfair and avoidable differences in health outcomes” that are still far too common.

Systemic health inequities in the U.S. are well documented. Sadly, while Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the healthiest states, when broken down by racial lines, we are also home to some of the worst health inequities in the country. When it comes to opportunities in achieving optimal health, Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian Pacific Islander and other communities of color all face similar challenges.

The majority of factors that determine one’s individual health have nothing to do with medical care. The place where you live – right down to your ZIP code – has an enormous impact not only on the quality of life, but on life expectancy itself. Approximately 80 percent of health is determined by our daily surroundings. To be sure, the importance of high quality healthcare  cannot be understated – especially culturally competent medical care. However, the data is clear. Basic needs such as safe and stable housing, access to healthy and affordable foods, and strong social connections have more of a combined impact on health than what takes place in a doctor’s office or hospital.

As a leader in our state’s health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota recognizes our critical role in addressing such inequities. We are committed to making racial and health equity core to our business, both internally and externally.

When societal barriers are broken down, everyone has a better chance to reach their full health potential. That requires community-driven change. Our core insurance business, along with our Center for Prevention and Foundation have community focused strategies that are centered in health equity.

By working with community partners, we collectively strive to take on the social determinants of health – and to focus on the places and conditions where health really happens. In 2023, we invested a total of more than $16 million in racial and health equity initiatives, including community funding to dozens of organizations throughout Minnesota.

I am also extremely proud of the work being done by Blue Cross’ racial and health equity integration team. By having an internal group dedicated to ensuring that equity issues are part of our core business strategies and company culture, Blue Cross is holding ourselves accountable to “getting it right on the inside.” By engaging in the same type of work that we expect from our community partners and other stakeholders, we are able to advance shared efforts to create a stronger, thriving Minnesota.

As a proud Minnesota employer, Blue Cross showcases our many health equity initiatives to our 3,000-plus associates throughout the month of April. From our work to reducing maternal health inequities to evolving landscape of mental and behavioral care, we are offering more than dozen seminars with company leaders and guest experts offering insights on how everyone has a role in closing gaps that exist in healthcare access, affordability, and outcomes.

With April as Health Equity Month, we have a spotlight that shines brightest on the people and communities we serve in advancement of racial and health equity. My commitment is to ensure this critical work continues throughout the year – and for generations to come.