A Message from Louise McCarthy, Chairperson, Board of Governors
For over 20 years, L.A. Care Health Plan has provided Angelenos access to quality health care. From our humble roots as a small, local insurance plan, we have grown to become the nation's largest publicly operated health insurer with 2.2 million members. One out of every five Angelenos is an L.A. Care member. If you ask me, that's a force to be reckoned with.
Recently, under the strategic vision of Chief Executive Officer John Baackes, the plan has expanded its focus. Our mission has not changed — we still work tirelessly to provide access to quality health care for vulnerable and low-income communities, and to support the health care safety net that delivers that care. We have expanded our focus toward a new way of caring for members. Not only does the organization care about members' physical health, L.A. Care truly cares about the whole person. In addition to delivering quality health care, L.A. Care is now working to ensure members have safe housing, access to healthy foods, reliable transportation, stable income and early education opportunities to help ensure they are living their best lives.
As evidence through the content to follow, you'll find a number of ways that L.A. Care has worked to improve the daily quality of life of our members. We are:
- Making significant investments to improve food security for members
- Forging new partnerships to identify homeless individuals who will be provided with housing and other resources
- Engaging in local, state and national advocacy efforts to preserve access to health care despite a tumultuous political climate
I am proud to serve on L.A. Care's Board of Governors, and I am proud of the organization L.A. Care has become. This health plan has become a force for positive change in our community. I look forward to celebrating the success of these critical efforts in the future.