Between June 2011 and May 2012, California moved approximately 380,000 seniors and persons with disabilities (SPDs) in 16 counties from Medi-Cal fee-for-service to managed care. The change was intended to improve care coordination and access to care in the long term. However, it also posed the risk of care disruptions for this high-needs population.

The California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) hosted a Sacramento briefing to present the preliminary findings from a survey examining the transition experiences of beneficiaries. Panelists discussed survey findings on the notification process and choice of health plan, continuity of and access to primary and specialty care, and the overall beneficiary experience.

The survey is part of ongoing research that will inform the forthcoming transition of persons eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal into managed care, and efforts to improve the Medi-Cal managed care program overall.

Presenter:

• Carrie Graham, assistant director of research, Health Research for Action, UC Berkeley School of Public Health

Reactor panel:

• Gary Passmore, director, Congress of California Seniors
• Margaret Tatar, chief, Medi-Cal Managed Care Division, California Department of Health Care Services
• Silvia Yee, senior staff attorney, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

Moderator:

• Jamie Brooks Robertson, program officer, Health Reform and Public Programs Initiative, CHCF

A recording of the event and the presentation slides are available below.