L.A. Care The Nation's Largest Public Health Plan With 1 Million Members
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The L.A. Care Health Plan, Los Angeles County's public health insurance provider, is now insuring more than one million low-income residents, making it the largest public health plan in the nation.
The public insurer, which is also celebrating its 15th anniversary, says it has enrolled nearly 200,000 new members since the economy turned sour in 2008.
A family of four with an annual income up to $67,050 and living in Los Angeles County can qualify for L.A. Care coverage, which is provide through Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and Medicare Special Needs plans.
The growth in the number of L.A. Care's enrollees was also due in part to adding members to its rolls from state programs. The transition of seniors and people with disabilities into managed care through L.A. Care helped its growth of about 8,000 to 10,000 members per month.
"Yes, we are America's largest public health plan, but more importantly, L.A. Care is standing out as a leader in new and innovative approaches to health care and a national model for how local managed care can be done successfully," L.A. Care CEO Howard Kahn said.
L.A. Care says it has about 963,000 Medi-Cal members, 17,000 Healthy Family members, 40,000 In-Home Support Services workers' coverage and 2,600 Medicare Advantage HMO SNP members.
L.A. Care has also provided nearly $132 million to strengthen the health care services for people who are not eligible for any of the L.A. Care programs.
