Daily Journal staff report

KANKAKEE — A provider of government-sponsored managed care services in Illinois has announced a partnership that will bring additional COVID-19 antibody testing to Kankakee.

Meridian has teamed up with Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness to offer COVID-19 PCR tests (to confirm current COVID-19 infection) and antibody testing (to confirm previous COVID-19 infection) at no cost.

The testing initiative is part of a broader research study announced this month by Meridian’s parent company Centene, a multi-national healthcare enterprise, and the National Minority Quality Forum, an independent research and educational organization dedicated to ensuring high-risk racial and ethnic populations receive optimal healthcare.

Recent research shows COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting racial minorities and other under-served communities, according to a press release. Nationally, African Americans are dying from the virus at nearly three times the rate of whites, and in Illinois, African Americans accounted for 56% of deaths, while comprising just 30% of the state’s population, the press release continued.

“Through this partnership, we hope to increase access to COVID-19 testing; gain a better understanding of the health disparities impacting our local communities; and provide critical data and evidence-based solutions to inform our public health response,” said Karen Brach, plan president and CEO, Meridian in Illinois.

As part of the initiative with Aunt Martha’s, those who test positive for COVID-19 will receive monitoring kits and a daily call from providers for the first 14 days to provide medical advice and help monitor any progression of symptoms, followed by once-per-week calls for one month.

People who are tested will have the opportunity to take part in the research study. Together, the organizations will analyze testing data to assess the impact of COVID-19 on minorities and under-served populations in Illinois and across the country.

Once testing is complete, Centene and NMQF will convene a team of researchers to analyze and translate survey data, and, based on the findings, provide valuable data and evidence-based solutions to inform the public health response and help reduce healthcare disparities among under-served populations.