Superior HealthPlan Partners with the National Council on Independent Living to Improve Accessibility for People with Disabilities

Date: 02/22/24

Superior HealthPlan (“Superior”), the leading managed care organization in Texas and a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), has awarded nearly $40,000 in funding to three Texas providers through a partnership with the National Council on Independent Living’s (NCIL) Barrier Removal Fund program. The program is part of the Provider Accessibility Initiative, which offers financial assistance to medical providers to increase access for patients with disabilities at their healthcare facilities. The three South Texas healthcare provider grantees are Accurate Vascular of McAllen, WEE Therapy of McAllen and Weslaco and M&M Pediatrics of Brownsville.

“In a healthcare setting, people who have disabilities are often faced with accessibility issues when trying to receive the care they need," said Dr. Susan Mills, sr. vice president of population health and clinical outcomes at Superior HealthPlan. "Providing quality care to all members is our top priority, which is why we're proud to partner with NCIL to provide funding for the purchase of medical equipment to help improve the delivery of healthcare.”

In a study from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 22% of provider practices in the U.S. reported being unable to accommodate a patient in a wheelchair. Inaccessible exam tables, weight scales, infusion chairs, imaging machines, and radiology equipment all impact an individual’s access to care. Though these are examples of physical obstacles to care, there are several common barriers that include behavioral, communication, policy, social, and transportation hindrances.

The Barrier Removal Fund invites participating providers to submit projects that focus on removing architectural and programmatic barriers and purchasing medical equipment such as adjustable examination tables and weight scales. Selected proposals are awarded grants to fund each project, directly benefiting those with disabilities and their companions in their communities.

“We are grateful to Superior HealthPlan and feel blessed to be selected to obtain this funding,” said Juan Rangel, office manager at WEE Therapy. “Through this grant, we were able to purchase much needed sensory-friendly items for our facilities and have already seen the positive impact on our members. For example, the weighted blanket from the National Autism Society has been a beneficial instrument in therapy treatment for those with autism spectrum disorders.”

“With the installation of the new accessible exam table made possible by this grant from Superior HealthPlan, we’re able to expand accommodations for our patients and improve their experience,” said Dr. Wally Prado, a provider with Accurate Vascular Diagnostic Center.

“Having an accessible exam table and wheelchair scale has been a tremendous help to our patients and their caregivers,” said Bertha Torres, assistant office manager of M&M Pediatrics. “Now, we can accommodate patients through more accessible means and improve the experience they have when seeing a provider. We want to thank Superior HealthPlan for providing us the opportunity to positively impact our patients.”

For information about Superior’s services and benefits, visit www.SuperiorHealthPlan.com.