The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #64771

Vergia Slade, BS, MHA, Public Health Programs Administration, Health Net of California, Inc, 11971 Foundation Place, D-1, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, 916-935-1437, effie.ruggles@healthnet.com

School-based health centers throughout the nation have grown rapidly over the past decade. However, in Los Angeles county four school based clinics were closed to reduce the County's budget problems or closed because they were “underutilized.” These clinic closures have reduced access to preventative and primary care services in the community. These developments caused school districts to re-examine their relationship with manage care organizations.

Health Net in collaboration with the California Assembly on School Based Health Care (CAASBHC) has developed a first of its kind service Agreement. The terms provide school based health providers reimbursement for primary care services provided to Health Net’s Medi-Cal (Medicaid) and Healthy Families members.

The Agreement was offered to all School Based Health Centers. To date, Health Net has successfully implemented more than twenty School-Based Health Agreements throughout California with the potential for adding many more. This newly emerging partnership is providing a communication and collaboration framework to address issues related to access and coordination of health care for students.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the strengths of relationships with School Based Health Centers.
• Identify the challenges associated with contracting and providing preventive services to health plan members.
• Understand the role of managed care in a newly emerging public-private partnership.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Child/Adolescent

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.