Blue Cross of California Enrolls 400,000th Medi-Cal Member.WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 18, 1998-- BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) The field in an e-mail header that names additional recipients for the message. It is similar to carbon copy (cc), but the names do not appear in the recipient's message. Not all e-mail systems support the bcc feature. See fcc. Now One of State's Largest Medi-Cal Providers With Contracts for 10 Counties Ten-year-old Jade Lengson was probably not aware that when her parents recently chose Blue Cross of California's Medi-Cal program over a locally run Medi-Cal program offered in her county, she would become the health plan's 400,000th member. But today, Blue Cross announced it has surpassed its 400,000th Medi-Cal member milestone, marking the health plan's presence in 10 California counties and making it one of the largest providers of Medi-Cal managed care services in the state. The milestone represents 60 percent growth among Medi-Cal membership in the last year for Blue Cross, the California subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :WLP WLP WebLogic Portal (Bea Systems) WLP Wafer Level Packaging WLP Women's Learning Partnership (Bethesda, MD) WLP Workplace Learning & Performance WLP World Library Partnership, Inc. ). John Monahan, General Manager, Medi-Cal and Healthy Families Programs, Blue Cross of California, attributes the success of Blue Cross' Medi-Cal program to its extensive outreach programs, attentive customer service and to the health plan's ability to provide easy-to-understand, multi-cultural materials. "People are getting it," said Monahan. "Prior to the two-plan model, in which Medi-Cal beneficiaries choose between a commercial and county-run health plan, beneficiaries had a difficult time deciphering the cryptic materials, which were barriers to selecting a doctor and accessing care. We learned that outreach was critical, and now, with Blue Cross' Medi-Cal programs, we're finding that our members are not having difficulties accessing care. They are understanding our materials and choosing their own primary care physician who coordinates their care." Monahan added that Blue Cross' outreach program is effective in getting to members who may not be taking advantage of services. "If our records indicate that children in the program are not receiving their immunizations, for example, then we contact the parents or pay them a visit to ensure they understand the system and are getting their families the access to care." A leading provider of health care coverage for more than 60 years, Blue Cross has the proven track record and quality programs to effectively meet the health care needs of California's Medi-Cal recipients. Blue Cross Medi-Cal managed care programs are currently offered in Alameda, Contra Costa Contra Costa can refer to:
Additionally, Blue Cross was recently awarded the contract for Healthy Families, new state program that provides low-cost health insurance for nearly 600,000 children and teenagers of low-income families. The only health plan to participate in all 58 California counties, Blue Cross' success in providing care to the state's Medi-Cal communities was a key factor in winning the contract to provide quality programs to Healthy Family beneficiaries. Over and above receiving basic primary care, Blue Cross Medi-Cal members receive an extensive offering of preventive care services, such as maternity care, immunizations, well baby care, 24-hour emergency care, prescription drugs and eyeglasses eyeglasses or spectacles, instrument or device for aiding and correcting defective sight. Eyeglasses usually consist of a pair of lenses mounted in a frame to hold them in position before the eyes. . Other benefits include a 24-hour nurse advice hotline, immunization immunization: see immunity; vaccination. and health reminder notices, health education classes and a teen hotline. Blue Cross also operates six Community Resource Centers in selected counties across the state that offer a variety of community and education services. Blue Cross of California, with nearly 4.4 million medical members, is the California operating subsidiary of WellPoint Health Networks Inc., one of the nation's largest publicly traded managed care companies. WellPoint serves the health care needs of 6.8 million medical and over 23 million specialty members nationally. WellPoint offers a broad spectrum of quality network-based health products including HMO HMO health maintenance organization. HMO n. A corporation that is financed by insurance premiums and has member physicians and professional staff who provide curative and preventive medicine within certain financial, , PPO PPO abbr. preferred provider organization PPO Managed care Preferred provider organization, see there Infectious disease Pleuropneumonia-like organism, see there , POS (1) See point of sale and packet over SONET. (2) "Parent over shoulder." See digispeak. POS - point of sale and specialty managed care products. Specialty products include pharmacy benefit management A Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) is a third party administrator of prescription drug programs. They are primarily responsible for processing and paying prescription drug claims. , dental, utilization management, vision, mental health, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts flexible spending account, n an employee reimbursement account primarily funded with employee-designated salary reductions. Funds are reimbursed to the employee for health care (medical and/or dental), dependent care, and/or legal expenses and are , COBRA administration, and Medicare supplements.
CONTACT: Rhonda Seaton, 818/703-2566
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