In Brief: Study Urges More In-Person Enrollment Options For Poor Californians; HealthCare Partners Saved $1.8M Through Anthem ACO Collaboration

Study Urges More In-Person Enrollment Options For Poor Californians

A new study by a not-for-profit group that examined the state’s minority and lower-income residents urged more in-person options for that group to obtain health insurance.

The survey, which was conducted by Citizen Insights and funded by the California Endowment and the California Wellness Foundation, polled 824 residents statewide through fliers, online ads and research assistants. Fifty-two percent were of color, and 56% lacked college degrees, the latter being a significant indicator of their socioeconomic status, the study’s authors said. The study found that those uninsured residents who applied for individual or Medi-Cal coverage online or by phone had the highest failures rates in procuring coverage (62.7% and 87%, respectively), and that people of color were  nearly four times more likely to apply for coverage with a health navigator in person than remotely.

"We found that once people have insurance, they're quite satisfied with their coverage, its cost, and the quality of their healthcare. But the enrollment process remains a big problem that needs fixing," said Alana Conner, executive director of Stanford SPARQ, a Stanford University research center that assisted in compiling the study data. 

The study, which compiled a significant amount of its responses through a cellphone texting application, also suggested that such technology be used more often. Lower income groups tend to text more often than those with lower incomes, and answers tend to be more rapid and honest, according to researchers.

“Through text messaging, we are able quickly to 'take the temperature' of many hard-to-reach groups,” Conner said.

HealthCare Partners Saved $1.8M Through Anthem ACO Collaboration

Torrance-based HealthCare Partners says it has achieved a savings of $1.8 million by participating in an accountable care organization arrangement with Anthem Blue Cross of California.

The savings, reaped by HealthCare Partners’ participation in  the Enhanced Personal Health Care program, were achieved during its first fiscal year of operation, from July 1, 2013 to June 30 of last year. The initiative also reduced rates of hospitalizations and average lengths of stay.

The ACO has focused on care coordination and transitions of care for hospitalized patients, particularly those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

"HealthCare Partners and Anthem have again proven that a commercial ACO can be effective if focused on meeting high quality and utilization outcomes, regardless of the reimbursement model," said Dinesh Kumar, M.D., HealthCare Partners California’s chief medical officer. "This trusted model of care continues to promote an efficient and coordinated approach to our patients with complex care needs, further encouraging medical and financial transparency."