LOS ANGELES, CA – L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, now offers its L.A. Care Covered™ members the DPS Health Virtual Lifestyle Management (VLM) program. L.A. Care Covered is the plan’s Covered California Qualified Health Plan.
VLM offers a suite of services designed to identify, outreach and engage overweight and obese members to help improve their health.
Starting this week, more than 38,000 L.A. Care Covered members have access to weight loss support through the partnership with DPS Health, a leader in clinically proven online and mobile behavior change interventions. Through L.A. Care’s Healthy Lifestyle Program, a weight management program that promotes whole-body wellness, eligible members can access VLM and health engagement lifestyle outreach programs.
In addition, L.A. Care will benefit from DPS Health’s consulting through member engagement services such as “Ask-a-Coach” whereby members can ask questions about healthy living and weight loss, and attend coach-moderated, online discussions.
“L.A. Care’s goal has always been to provide innovative programs, preventive services and constant support to our members,” said Chief Executive Officer Howard Kahn. “Partnering with DPS Health allows us to extend this support directly to a population that will benefit from this evidence-based weight loss program.”
The target population, termed “moderate risk,” is a group with or at-risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, representing approximately 25-35 percent of the U.S. adult population. This population requires trusted sources to provide health content and opportunities to engage with peers and coaches, even as they commit to more intensive behavior change programs.
“Successfully achieving consistent engagement and utilizing a proven approach is the only way for health plans to maintain the health and wellness of their members,” said Adam Kaufman, President and CEO, DPS Health. “The partnership with L.A. Care is designed to improve the health status of L.A. Care Covered members by identifying those who are overweight or obese, and providing tailored member interventions.”
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