CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield recently received accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for its workplace wellness program.

The Owings Mills, Md.-based insurer’s designation as “NCAQ Accredited,” comes after an assessment process measuring 10 areas for providing effective wellness and health promotion. The 10 areas include health appraisal, privacy and confidentiality, health coaching, measuring effectiveness and employer and plan sponsor engagement.

CareFirst received a score of 97 out of 100, according to the insurer.

Richard Safeer, CareFirst’s medical director for health promotion and disease management, called the accreditation “consistent with the effort the effort we put in to helping our employer groups support their workplace wellness needs.

“We strongly encourage all of our employer groups to take part in the many workplace wellness programs we have to offer,” Safeer said in a statement.

NCQA, which evaluates, accredits and certifies a number of health care organizations, is in the first year of its wellness and health promotion accreditation program. It established the program to help employers evaluate independent, standardized results on wellness programs and choose the best fit for their organizations, based on demonstrated quality and value, according to the non-profit organization.

Of 16 health care organizations reviewed by the NCQA, CareFirst is among the first 12 to qualify for the accreditation.