BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has been awarded Health Plan 7.1 accreditation from URAC, a Washington, D.C.-headquartered organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry.

The accreditation program focuses on areas such as access to services, quality of services, and protecting consumer rights and interests.

“This is a rigorous process taking many months. URAC’s accreditations focus on the areas of greatest importance to consumers, regulators and payers,” BlueCross President Jim Deyling said in a news release. 

Beginning in 2014, health plans offered on new health insurance marketplaces must be in the process of seeking accreditation, Deyling said.

The accreditation is for three years. The five sections in the Health Plan standards — network management, quality improvement, credentialing, member protection and utilization management — comprise more than 146 standards that must be met.