CareFirst, Zócalo Health partner to boost bilingual primary care in MD

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Zócalo Health, a primary care provider aiming to serve underrepresented patients, announced Monday that it has partnered with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Plan Maryland to improve access to bilingual primary care services and other personalized care needs. 

As part of the partnership Zócalo Health, hopes to achieve favorable outcomes through offering personalized social care navigation that meet member-specific needs. The company, which currently serves a large concentration of Latino patients in California, Texas and Washington, said this move is part of an expansion to the East Coast.

Zócalo Health also plans to use the partnership to address key health and social drivers that affect CareFirst members. 

“We are reimagining primary care for Latino communities,” Zócalo Health CEO Erik Cardenas said. 

“We go where they are, with trusted CHWs speaking their language to deliver solutions without stress or fear. We treat the whole person because we know that if someone doesn’t have access to nutritious food, can’t get to a pharmacy to pick up medicine, or doesn’t have a safe place to sleep, they cannot thrive. We are excited to work with forward-thinking care plans like CareFirst CHPMD to ensure their members have the best possible experiences and outcomes.”

According to a company statement, Zócalo Health and CareFirst will join forces to increase preventive care utilization and address disparities in chronic disease management among Latino Medicaid members.

“We are committed to simplifying access to meaningful, culturally responsive care, and our partnership with Zócalo Health is a powerful extension of our mission,” CareFirst CHPMD President and CEO Mike Rapach said. 

“Together, we are creating easier ways into the healthcare system, helping Latino community members not only receive the care they need, but they also feel seen, heard, and supported in the process. This is how we support our communities’ efforts for improved health.”