Program for Medi-Cal beneficiaries with complex health needs reduced emergency visits, hospitalizations

Key takeawaysCalifornia ’s Health Homes Program aimed to improve care and reduce costs for Medi-Cal beneficiaries with complex medical needs.From mid-2018 through the end of 2021, the program enrolled 90,000 people in 12 California counties.Program enrollees generally had fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations than Medi-Cal beneficiaries who weren ’t enrolled, saving the state an average of $1,113 per person per year.A  California program for Medi-Cal beneficiaries with complex medical needs and chronic conditions reduced the number of emergency department visits and hospital stays among its enrollees, according to anevaluation published today by the  UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. For those enrollees, the change lowered the annual cost of medical bills — which the state pays — by an average of $1,113 per person, the report found.About 90,000 people in 12 California counties initially enrolled in theHealth Homes Program, which ran from July 2018 to December 2021. The California Department of Health Care Services ’ program was open to Medi-Cal beneficiaries who had chronic physical conditions, substance use disorders and/or serious mental illness. It was run by managed care plans that contracted with about 260 community-based care groups to provide comprehensive care management to coordinate physical healt h, behavioral health and community-based social services.The largest portion of participants (48%) were between the ages of 50 and 64 years ...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news