Health Net Invests $3.55 Million to Strengthen California's Health Care Delivery System & Improve Patient Outcomes

Grants Will Support the Collection of Patient Health and Services Data Critical to Meeting the Health Care Needs of Most Vulnerable Patient Populations

Health Net announced today its continued commitment to strengthening California's health care delivery system by awarding $3.55 million in grants to improve patient data collection and reporting — a fundamental priority for addressing the gaps in the state's health care system and improving health outcomes, especially amongst the most vulnerable patient populations.

Encounter data, the administrative information that describes health care interactions between patients and providers, must be collected by law in the state of California. The data serves as one of the most important tools in enabling healthcare providers, stakeholders, and state legislators to analyze trends in healthcare, and can help to identify best practices that improve health outcomes for patients enrolled in Medi-Cal, which serves over 13 million Californians, or close to one-third of the state's population.

"At Health Net, a key component of our mission to transform the health of communities is working to ensure Medi-Cal enrollees have access to high-quality care so they can live longer and healthier lives," said Carol Kim, Vice President of Community Investments and Government and Public Affairs for Health Net. "The accurate collection and reporting of encounter data is a critical piece of this puzzle – as this information allows us to measure health outcomes, track the needs of vulnerable patient populations and inform a stronger, better approach to care for California's future."

Health Net's latest $3.55 million investment in encounter data is comprised of two grants. The company will award $2.55 million to assist in the implementation of solutions that improve encounter data tracking through new technology and standardized practices for 13 Medi-Cal providers. These providers are located across California from dense, urban areas including Los Angeles and San Francisco to rural, underserved regions such as Kern and Tulare counties. This work is based on a comprehensive assessment conducted in 2018, which Health Net funded last year with a $5.85 million grant.

Additionally, Health Net will award a $1 million grant to Manatt Health, a health care consulting firm, to conduct a year-long Stakeholder Engagement program. This new stakeholder engagement effort will facilitate critical conversations amongst state and industry leaders – assisting in the identification of solutions to expand data collection infrastructure, implement necessary advancements in technology, and track and assess patient services.

"Health Net's latest investments demonstrate our ongoing commitment toward improving encounter data collection – an essential component of our state's Medi-Cal care delivery system and an essential part of improving quality health care in California. We are dedicated to investing in collaborative solutions to move us one step closer toward the collective goal of a healthier California," said Kim.

Grant Recipients

• Community Medical Center – San Joaquin, Solano, Yolo counties
• HealthRIGHT 360 – San Francisco County
• San Benito Medical Associates – San Benito County
• Altura Centers for Health – Tulare County
• Family Healthcare Network – Tulare, Kings counties
• Kern Pediatrics – Kern County
• Omni Health Centers – Kern, Fresno, Kings counties
• Global Care – Los Angeles County
• Health Care LA – Los Angeles County
• Kheir Community Clinic – Los Angeles County
• La Maestra– San Diego County
• Preferred IPA of California – Los Angeles County
• Serra Community Medical Clinic – Los Angeles County

About Health Net

At Health Net, LLC (Health Net) we believe every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Founded 40 years ago, we remain dedicated to transforming the health of our community, one person at a time. Today, Health Net's 3,000 employees and 85,000 network providers serve more than three million Californians. That's one in 13 residents throughout the State. We provide health plans for individuals, families, employers, people with Medicare and people with Medi-Cal — coverage for every stage of life. Health Net also offers access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services, employee assistance programs and managed health care products related to prescription drugs. We offer these health plans and services through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation CNC. For more information, visit HealthNet.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190923005851/en/