Title
a. Receive an oral update on the status of the Low Income Health Program application; and
b. Receive a presentation on the development of a local program to improve access to health care services for uninsured in Monterey County.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive an oral update on the status of the Low Income Health Program application; and
b. Receive a presentation on the development of a local program to improve access to health care services for uninsured in Monterey County.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Low Income Health Program
On November 6, 2012, the Board of Supervisors provided direction to submit the Low Income Health Program (LIHP) application with the maintenance of effort dollar amount reduced to the current statutory requirement of $3.37 million and to incorporate language to minimize future year erosion of realignment dollars as a result of participating for one year in the LIHP. Staffs of Natividad Medical Center (NMC) and the Health Department have made these modifications to the LIHP application and resubmitted it on November 13, 2012.
Staff has been in communication with representatives of the California State Department of Health Care Services, but do not have a date certain for response.
Local Program to Improve Access to Health Care Services
At the November 6, 2012 Board of Supervisors meeting, NMC, Health Department and Department of Social and Employment Services staff were directed to develop a potential strategy to improve access to health care for uninsured and have programs in place to facilitate transition into insurance plans on January 1, 2014.
Currently, uninsured in Monterey County receive healthcare at each of the safety net clinics (as required by law) and inpatient services primarily at NMC. Emergency level services are provided at all four hospitals as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act requires the emergency department see all patients regardless of abi...
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