OCMA Blog

CMA launches Covered California Provider Education Program

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The California Medical Association (CMA) and the CMA Foundation have been awarded a $1.5 million grant from Covered California, the state's new health benefit exchange. The grant application was submitted in partnership with the Latino Physicians of California, the American Academy of Pediatrics and a number of CMA's component medical societies.
 
The grant is being used to establish the CMA's "California Health Benefit Exchange Outreach and Education Program." The goal is to help medical professionals across the state and their health care teams to educate their patients about the new coverage options available through Covered California and the financial assistance available to help pay for them. The program will focus more intensive outreach to physicians working in communities with a large number of consumers eligible for Covered California.
 
Physicians are powerful and effective messengers to deliver information to patients. We will be working to educate not only physicians, but also the office and health care teams that support physician practices. We will work with registered nurses, medical assistants, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, office managers and other physician practice staff in the targeted geographic areas that have the highest number of newly eligible exchange enrollees. All staff working in a practice or clinic will have an opportunity to learn more about Covered California insurance plans to fully utilize their skills and potential in educating patients about exchange eligibility and enrollment.

Regional Outreach

The California Health Benefit Exchange Outreach and Education Program will have four regional Provider Educators, with one assigned to each of the following regions: 1) Fresno, Kern, Tulare and Kings Counties; 2) San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties; 3) Los Angeles and Orange Counties; and 4) San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. For those practices in regions not listed, CMA Foundation staff will provide outreach and education. 

Educational Strategy

The educational strategy will be a multifaceted approach that factors in the different physician practice environments and incorporates multiple strategies to communicate with the physicians and their health care teams. The approach will incorporate group learning sessions, focus groups, educational print medium and one-on-one "touches" supported by newsletters, webinars and e-communication.
 
We will develop learning communities of grantees, sub-grantees and other interested partners to share challenges and best practices and to help us use resources as effectively as possible.
 
Our strategy will also include the following: 

• Identify the gaps in physician knowledge about the exchange and design educational messaging to address those gaps.
• Create a master list of existing regularly held meetings of the association members and partners so that we can utilize the already built network and standing meeting schedule
• Establish lesson plans to ensure consistency in presentations.
• Identify physician champions to be trained to educate their peers and other health care professionals and staff.
• Establish a Physician/Health Care Worker Subcommittee to provide message testing, guidance and input on presentations and one-on-one education.
• Make resources available through the physician practice to patients, helping them understand Covered California.
• Develop a physician toolkit comprised of essential outreach materials for physician champions and their health care teams to give to patients.
• Work with hospitals and health plans to book training and education sessions in hospital grand rounds, regularly scheduled patient-support focused meetings and medical staff meetings.

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