The Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI) recognized L.A. Care Health Plan in four categories in its 2020 Best Practices and Innovative Initiatives. The “best practices” report was issued in conjunction with its 2020 Annual Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) Survey. Recognition in the new report is significant because the MCO Survey, which was released in December, represented 67 percent of all covered lives in Medicaid managed care across almost every state in the nation that has Medicaid managed care plans.
The institute compiled examples of best practices and innovative initiatives in eight categories, and L.A. Care was recognized in the categories of Value-Based Payment, Women’s Health, Managed Long-Term Services and Supports, and Social Determinants of Health.
In the category of Value-Based Payment, L.A. Care was recognized for its Value Initiative for IPA Performance (VIIP) program. The program incorporates performance reporting, pay for performance, and quality improvement efforts to promote value and improve health outcomes. IMI credited the success of the program with a multipronged approach that includes mid-year reporting, performance improvement goal setting with feedback, regular communication/engagement and more.
L.A. Care’s Healthy Pregnancy and Healthy Mom Programs were recognized in the Women’s Health category. The programs work to increase prenatal and postpartum visit rates and improve birth outcomes among members. While the programs include things like appointment scheduling, educational materials, interpreters, and blood pressure monitors, IMI also noted the success of outreach phone calls to members in gaining improved outcomes.
L.A. Care was also recognized for its Managed Long Term Services & Support (MLTSS) Care Model. The model fosters independent living in the community by coordinating various home and community-based services. Among the programs highlighted in this category was a 10-week training program for in-home supportive services (IHSS) caregivers who learn to be more integrated members of the member’s care team. L.A. Care’s MLTSS team also implemented a more high-touch program to work with skilled nursing facilities to support members living in those facilities to return to a community setting.
The fourth category for which L.A. Care was recognized was Social Determinants of Health. L.A. Care’s $20 million, five-year commitment to the Housing for Health program was noted as a great success with 325 households no longer experiencing homelessness. IMI was impressed by the 90 percent one-year retention rate for those housed through L.A. Care’s grant.
The other four categories in the report are High-Risk Care Coordination, Pharmacy, Behavioral Health, and Child and Adolescent Health.