Press release

San Francisco Health Plan Adds New Health Homes Program
The Health Homes benefit provides advanced care coordination services to eligible Medi-Cal members

San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP), a community managed care health plan serving over 140,000 San Francisco residents, announced today that it has launched a new benefit “Health Homes for Patients with Complex Needs”. San Francisco County is the first county in California to launch this innovative new Health Homes benefit allowing for fully coordinated care for eligible Medi-Cal members with chronic conditions. The Health Homes Program services include comprehensive care management and transitional care, care coordination, health promotion, patient and family care support, community and social support services referrals, and more.

With this new innovative service, SFHP Medi-Cal members will have access to help in order to coordinate the best possible care for their specific needs. Community Based Care Management Entities (CB-CMEs) have been established throughout the county in order to fully coordinate care, including, healthcare, housing, transportation assistance, medication and community support.

CB-CMEs are responsible for the provision of all Heath Homes Program services for their eligible members with SFHP providing certification, auditing, and oversight to ensure CB-CMEs meet the Department of Health Care Services requirements.

Jim Glauber, MD, MPH, SFHP’s Chief Medical Officer, stated, “Our goal is to improve our members’ health and outcomes by coordinating physical health services, mental health services, substance abuse services, community-based long term service and supports, palliative care and social support needs. By integrating and coordinating these services it will allow SFHP and our provider network to better treat and support our most vulnerable members.”

“The Health Homes Program will ensure coordination and continuity of care across the entire care experience,” said John F. Grgurina, Jr., CEO of San Francisco Health Plan. “This will provide much needed additional support to children and adults with serious and chronic conditions. The program is designed to achieve improved health status for our members and more cost-effective health care over time. SFHP is proud to be the first county in California to provide this innovative new service to our members and of our successful partnerships with the California Department of Health Care Services and Anthem Blue Cross, who will also provide this for their San Francisco Medi-Cal members. ”

Launched in 1997, SFHP provides health care to over 140,000 members. Combined with Healthy San Francisco, the City’s non-insurance health care access program, SFHP provides services to over 160,000 residents, or over 19% of the City’s population, which is one in six San Francisco residents.

About San Francisco Health Plan

San Francisco Health Plan, a licensed community health plan providing affordable health coverage to over 140,000 low and moderate-income families residing in San Francisco. Designed for and by the residents it serves—many of whom would not be able to obtain health care for themselves or their families, SFHP members have access to a full spectrum of medical services including preventive care, hospitalization, prescription drugs, family planning, and substance abuse programs. SFHP’s mission is to improve health outcomes of the diverse San Francisco communities through its successful partnerships. SFHP’s Medicaid (Medi-Cal) line of business has earned “Accredited” status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). SFHP is also the third party administrator for the nationally recognized Healthy San Francisco program. For more information on SFHP, visit www.sfhp.org,

Media Contact:
Joe Zesiger
jzesiger@sfhp.org
(415) 615-4261