Practices Can Earn from $375,000 to $10 Million Over Five Years
Depending on the Number of Patients Served and Milestones Achieved
LOS ANGELES – COVID-19 put a spotlight on inequities that have long threatened the health of low-income individuals and communities of color. These communities suffered higher rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths. To address the disparities and inequities, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is launching a $700 million statewide Equity and Practice Transformation Program (EPT). This is one of the largest investments of its kind in the nation to improve the infrastructure, clinical performance, and access challenges of the selected primary care practices.
L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated plan in the country, was proud to help dozens of provider practices serving Medi-Cal patients in Los Angeles County apply for the program. Statewide, 207 practices were accepted into the program. Of those selected in Los Angeles County, L.A. Care will be supporting 46 of the accepted practices, which serve more than a half million Medi-Cal beneficiaries, and today, the health plan is hosting a virtual event to welcome them into the program.
“As a trusted partner for providers who care for some of the most vulnerable communities in the county, L.A. Care was happy to help these primary care practices and clinics apply for this important program,” said Alex Li, MD, L.A. Care’s Chief Health Equity Officer. “A strong partnership with the health plan enables these practices to be more successful and show that they can not only provide quality care for their patients, but also enhance their overall patient satisfaction and fiscal outlook.”
DHCS and L.A. Care will support these practices as they develop or strengthen their practice infrastructures and technologies and improve access to care. Each practice in the program will focus on a specific patient population, such as adults with chronic conditions, adults with preventive care needs, and children and youth.
The practices accepted into the program must meet requirements in three areas to earn incentive dollars – Empanelment & Access, Technology & Data, and Patient-Centered, Population-Based Care. Practices can earn additional incentive dollars through several optional areas. Depending on their size, they can earn anywhere from $375,000 up to $10 million over five years.
“The incentive dollars will allow the practices to invest in staff and systems that will ultimately mean better health outcomes for their patients, including L.A. Care members,” said Li. “L.A. Care is excited to work with the learning collaborative that will lead the technical assistance and strategy development in the program.”
Of the $700 million available for EPT, the state is committing $25 million to offer a Learning Collaborative for practices, which will be run by the Population Health Learning Center (PHLC). Another $25 million will support health plans that helped practices apply for the program. Practices that were not accepted into or did not apply for the first cohort will be able to apply for a second cohort. The date of the future application has not yet been announced.