Global Health Care is holding its fourth National Medicare Advantage Summit, a four-day event that seeks to illuminate complex issues of health care practice and policy by bringing together thought leaders in the industry. John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated health plan in the country, will be the featured guest speaker during a “fireside chat” titled MA Health Plan Case Study, on Thursday, April 27.
Baackes will first provide an overview of L.A. Care, which serves nearly 2.9 million members in four separate product lines. One is L.A. Care Medicare Plus, a Medicare Advantage plan for members who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Baackes will explain that this Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) provides a vehicle for members who are aging out of Medicaid to stay with the L.A. Care network of providers. It is one of 14 D-SNP plans operating in Los Angeles County.
In addition, Baackes will give details about the health plan’s largest product line, which serves more than 2.6 million Medicaid beneficiaries. Citing California’s low reimbursement rates, Baackes is advocating for higher Medicaid base rates. He will detail a statewide initiative that he launched to advocate for an increase in base Medicaid rates for safety net providers in California.
During his overview, Baackes will highlight other details about L.A. Care. He will explain that L.A. Care offers a plan on the Affordable Care Act exchange. As a public health plan competing against commercial plans on the exchange, L.A. Care is an example of a successful public option.
Some of the other sessions at the summit will delve into a comparison between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, reforming risk adjustment, engaging with emergency medical services, and health equity. The National Medicare Advantage Summit is a virtual event, getting underway today, and it goes through Friday, April 28.