LA Care Health Plan

Since providing quality health care for Los Angeles County's vulnerable and low income communities is their mission, I would like to know how they are keeping the balance of continuing providing quality health care and keeping the organization financially viable at the same time, especially during this tough time of global economic recession. There will definitely be more needy people seeking for LA Care Health Plan these days.

In particular, I would like to know how MDs are recruited into LA Care Health Plan and how they are paid so as to not only attract them but also keep them. Also, I would like to know the average waiting time of the patients to get appointment for their family doctor, and the types of medications they are going to get—ie either generic or branded medications— especially after total yearly drug cost limit of $4,350 is reached. I’m wondering whether the patients will continue getting their brand name drugs or the drugs will be substituted to their generic counterparts.

In their 2009 L.A. Care’s Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan, they state that they will ask for “copayment of $3.20 for brand name drugs, up to $4,350. Once total out-of-pocket cost for brand name drugs reaches $4,350, the patient has to pay $0." This is modification from their 2008 policy where the patient has to "pay $0 for generic until total yearly drug costs reach $2,270. Then, pay $1.05 for generic drugs, and $3.10 for brand name drugs."

I would like to look more into their support to safety net as well and see whether they have future plans to expand their policy to include more members.

Last but not the least, I would also like to know what is the most challenging issue facing LA Care Health Plan right now and, the strategies they are using to accomplish their goals and missions.