Resources and services

Cultural Competency

Cultural competency is a process that promotes the ability to effectively and respectfully bridge differences between one’s own culture and the culture of others. It includes the development of practices, skills, and behaviors to ensure that all members receive high-quality, effective services that are respectful and responsive to the needs of diverse populations served.

Members are to receive covered services without concern about race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, age, mental, or physical disability, sexual orientation, genetic information or medical history, ability to pay or ability to speak English. Aetna Better Health expects providers to treat all members with dignity and respect as required by federal law including honoring member’s beliefs, be sensitive to cultural diversity, and foster respect for member’s cultural backgrounds.  Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs, and activities receiving federal financial assistance, such as Medicaid.

Aetna Better Health has developed effective provider education programs that encourage respect for diversity, foster skills that facilitate communication within different cultural groups and explain the relationship between cultural competency and health outcomes. These programs provide information on our members’ diverse backgrounds, including the various cultural, racial, and linguistic challenges that members encounter, and we develop and implement methods for responding to those challenges.

Providers receive education about such important topics as:

• The reluctance of certain cultures to discuss mental health issues, and of the need to proactively encourage members from such backgrounds to seek needed treatment.
• The impact that a member’s religious and cultural beliefs can have on health outcomes (e.g., belief in non-traditional healing practices).
• The problem of health illiteracy and the need to provide patients with understandable health information (e.g., simple diagrams, communicating in the vernacular, etc.).
• History of the disability rights movement and the progression of civil rights for people with disabilities.
• Physical and programmatic barriers that impact people with disabilities accessing meaningful care.

Cultural Competency Policy

KS Provider Cultural Competency Training

Important Terms Defined

Health Literacy in Kansas

Health literacy is how well a person understands and is able to use health information and services to make health decisions for themselves.

Research shows that many people struggle to read, understand, and act on health information. This puts people at risk of not getting the care they need.

Aetna Better Health is supporting health literacy in Kansas by helping our members understand important terms to get them on their way to better health.

For a list of health-related words and their meanings view our Member Handbook.

Your needs are our top priority

View your Explanantion of Benefits (EOB)