(October 13, 2008) — SCAN Health Plan, a not-for-profit health plan serving seniors and others with Medicare, has launched a community-outreach program to help downtown Los Angeles-area residents better understand the complexities of Medicare, Medi-Cal, and their healthcare options.
“Our goal is to provide seniors and their caregivers with the resources and tools they need to make well-informed decisions about their health options,” said Aly Lopez-Duzich, community relations manager for SCAN Health Plan. “The healthcare system is overly complex; and the more people understand their options and the impact of their decisions, the greater the likelihood that they will make intelligent choices that fit their needs.”
As part of the effort, SCAN representatives are meeting 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 is providing 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, each of whom have unique needs that require special attention.
“Many of these groups represent those who have historically experienced inconsistent quality of care relative to the general population,” said Lopez-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. That is imbedded in our not-for-profit mission and is central to improving the lives and health status of underserved and underprivileged Medicare and Medi-Cal populations.”
SCAN has created a special unit to assist members who are covered by both Medicare and Medi-Cal. The PAL (personal assistance line) unit is staffed by bilingual employees who are specially trained to serve as personal liaisons in coordinating needed care. SCAN also contracts with bilingual and bicultural physicians, and offers health education in English and Spanish.
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 nearly 105,000 members in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura and Kern counties. In Arizona, SCAN offers a health plan for Medicare and Medicaid-eligible individuals, provides long-term care services to individuals enrolled in the state’s long-term care system in Maricopa County, and in 2009 will be offering a Medicare Advantage Plan in Maricopa County. Further information may be obtained at www.scanhealthplan.com.