Committed to the promotion of accessible, affordable and high quality health care, L.A. Care Health Plan (Local Initiative Health Authority of Los Angeles County) is an independent local public agency created by the State of California to provide health coverage to low-income Los Angeles County residents. Serving more than 2.6 million members in four product lines, L.A. Care is the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan.
L.A. Care Health Plan is governed by 13 board members representing specific stakeholder groups, including consumer members, physicians, federally qualified health centers, children’s health care providers, local hospitals and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.
L.A. Care advances individual and community health through a variety of targeted activities including a Community Health Investment Fund and sponsorships program that have awarded more than $180 million throughout the years to support the health care safety net and expand health coverage. The patient-centered health plan has a robust system of consumer advisory groups, including 11 Regional Community Advisory Committees (governed by an Executive Community Advisory Committee), 35 health promoters and nine Resource Centers that offer free health education and exercise classes to the community, and has made significant investments in Health Information Technology for the benefit of the more than 10,000 doctors and other health care professionals who serve L.A. Care members.
Under this Board of Governors, L.A. Care continues to grow and improve its services to both providers and members. Their leadership has led to a number of achievements, including:
- In 2000, the L.A. Care Board of Governors established the Community Health Investment Fund (CHIF) to financially support projects that strengthen community health and fill gaps in health coverage for low-income individuals in Los Angeles County. Since then, CHIF has awarded more than $105 million for more than 800 community-based projects and for more than 240 unique community-based clinics and other non-profit social service organizations to address healthcare needs and social determinants of health.
- In 2007, L.A. Care opened its first Family Resource Center and had grown to five centers, when in 2019, the health plan embarked on a unique $146 million collaboration with Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan to jointly operate new, safe and inclusive Community Resource Centers across Los Angeles County. Each center connects members from both plans and the Los Angeles community to exercise and nutrition classes, health screenings, Wi-Fi access for telehealth, and membership help. Ultimately, there will be 14 Community Resource Centers across the county.
- L.A. Care is committed to advancing health equity for our members and their communities. As such, it has:
- Adopted an official Statement of Principles on Social Justice and Systemic Racism.
- Created the position of Medical Director for Quality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to prioritize and oversee the health plan's equity, diversity and inclusion efforts.
- Implemented an Equity Council Steering Committee to focus on equity issues related to Members, Providers & Vendors, and Employees.
- Launched Elevating the Safety Net, a five-year, $155 million initiative to recruit new primary care physicians to the Los Angeles County Safety Net in an effort to address a growing physician shortage, which has impacted low-income communities of color. The initiative launched in 2018 with a provider recruitment program, a medical school loan repayment program, and full medical school scholarships. It has grown to include:
- A residency support program
- A $5 million grant to help launch a new medical education program on the campus of Charles R. Drew University
- A $5 million grant to KGI to help launch a Master of Science in Community Medicine program
- In-Home Supportive Services Training
- A health career internship program