A new survey suggests that an ongoing coordinated care initiative run by Medicare and California’s Medicaid program has been wildly successful, at least in terms of customer service.

The poll of 2,139 Californians enrolled in the program found that 90 percent are satisfied with their health plan. Eighty-three percent rate the care as good or excellent.

The survey was conducted by the UCSF Community Living Policy Center and UC Berkeley Health Research and was funded by the SCAN Foundation, a group that pushes for “person-centered” reforms to health programs for seniors.

Those surveyed are members of Cal Medi-Connect, a three-year trial project that focuses on those in the state who qualify for both Medicare and Medi-Cal, the Golden State’s Medicaid program. There are roughly 1.1 million “dual beneficiaries” in the state.

Cal Medi-Connect is one part of a larger statewide coordinated care initiative, which requires Medicaid beneficiaries to be enrolled in a managed care health plan.

According to the program website, “Cal MediConnect health plans will be responsible for providing their enrollees all Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits and services, including medical care, long-term care, behavioral health care and social supports. Beneficiaries, their family members and other caregivers will be able to participate in care coordination teams that help ensure delivery of the right services at the right time and place.”

Thirty-six percent of those enrolled in the program believe their care is superior under the new system, while 57 percent say it is about the same. Happily, only 6 percent say the new program provides worse care than their previous health plan.

“These survey results are increasingly important as states and health plans work to maximize the success of this demonstration, make necessary adjustments, and finally make integrated and efficient coordinated care a reality for adults with complex health needs,” said Bruce Chernoff, president of the SCAN Foundation, said in a statement.

It’s important to note that customer satisfaction is only one of the aims of coordinated care programs.

The priority, of course, is that the communication and coordination between the numerous medical professionals serving a patient are supposed to produce better health outcomes. But also important from the perspective of a public health program or insurer are the cost savings that are ideally achieved when care is better-coordinated.

Coordinated care is considered particularly important for low-income, disabled or elderly people, who are more likely to have difficulties getting to the pharmacy to pick up their prescriptions or not make it to a follow-up appointment. That makes it more likely that they will not recover from an operation properly, for instance, and will be readmitted to the hospital for another costly procedure.

Instant Insights /

Satisfaction is high with California coordinated health program

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