SCAN Health Plan Joins in Health & Resources Expo

Focused on Downtown Los Angeles Seniors

(LOS ANGELES, CA – June 2, 2009) — SCAN Health Plan recently joined with ten local community organizations to share information on health and wellness to area seniors as part of a Health & Resource Expo sponsored by the International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA) Senior Services Division.

“We were honored to be the only Medicare Advantage Plan invited to participate and enjoyed having the opportunity to speak with seniors about how to remain healthy and independent,” said SCAN Community Relations Manager Aly Lopez Duzich, MSG. “Being part of programs such as this is embedded in our not-for-profit heritage and part of our core mission and values.”

SCAN’s participation in the health expo is part of the health plan’s community outreach efforts to help downtown Los Angeles-area residents better understand the complexities of Medicare, Medi-Cal and their healthcare options.

As part of that, SCAN representatives meet regularly with community and faith-based leaders as well as with community and social service organizations to discuss the need for quality, affordable and culturally sensitive healthcare coverage. In addition, SCAN provides education in multiple languages to local physicians and their staffs discussing how they can better serve the elderly, racial and ethnic minorities, low-income seniors, people with disabilities, and those with chronic illness.

“Many of these groups represent those who require special attention but who have historically experienced inconsistent quality of care relative to the general population,” said Duzich. “Our goal is to reduce these disparities by providing education, much-needed services and affordable quality products directly to those who need it most. This includes providing seniors and their caregivers with the resources and tools they need to make well-informed decisions about their health options.”

Other organizations who participated in the expo included the Arthritis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association and the Los Angeles Department of Aging, along with HealthCare Partners, White Memorial Hospital, the Center of Health Care Rights, Partners in Care Foundation, LA Caregiver Resource Center and the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation.

The IILA works to provide comprehensive social services that assist individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency. The Senior Services Division provides comprehensive services to seniors 60 years of age or older in the eastside of Los Angeles, providing these individuals the opportunity to lead an independent, long and healthy lifestyle through quality services, information and support.

For more than 30 years, SCAN Health Plan has been focusing on the unique needs of people with Medicare and today is the fourth-largest nonprofit Medicare Advantage Plan in the United States. The company currently serves 110,000 members in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura and Kern counties. In Arizona, SCAN offers a Medicare Advantage Plan in Maricopa County and provides long-term care services to individuals in that county who are enrolled in the state’s long-term care system. Further information may be obtained at scanhealthplan.com.