RANCHO
CUCAMONGA, Calif., Jan. 11,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)
brought health insurance education to one of the region's most
vulnerable service areas on Jan.
9.
The Rancho Cucamonga-based
health plan took part in a special Covered California Open
Enrollment event at the Ruben Campos Community Center in
San Bernardino. Hosted by
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) and Covered California,
the event connected IE residents to health care services available
in their own backyard.
"Many do not know help is available," said Wayne Guzman, director of sales and outreach for
IEHP. "Often, people can obtain coverage for less than $10 a month, and we really want the community to
be aware of this opportunity before open enrollment closes on
Jan. 31."
During the event, bilingual enrollment specialists answered
questions about the sign-up process and what programs and benefits
are offered through IEHP Covered. ARMC's mobile clinic also
provided the following services to patients without coverage or
with limited resources, including:
- Health screenings and immunizations
- Lab testing
- Diabetes education and care
- Physicals and treatment for acute and chronic illnesses
- Well-child exams and women's services, including
mammograms
For ARMC, partnerships like the one established with IEHP are
vital to its mission.
"Most of our patients have IEHP," said Sandra Cruz, a registered nurse with the
Colton-based facility. "It's just
an easy flow for the patient, and [IEHP] has so many resources for
them."
IEHP officially joined Covered California on Jan. 1 and offers the lowest cost Silver plan in
the Inland Empire. During the annual renewal eligibility process,
IEHP officials estimate approximately 15,000 to 20,000 of its
members lose their Medi-Cal coverage due to an income increase.
According to new state guidelines, they will now be automatically
enrolled into the lowest cost Silver plan available, which is IEHP
Covered.
Although California has made
more progress than any other state in expanding access to health
coverage and lowering the uninsured rate from over 17% to a record
low of 6.5%, there is still more work to be done.
"It's our mission to reach and support those Californians who
are going without coverage, particularly the over 1.3 million who
are estimated to be eligible for low or no-cost coverage either
through Covered California or Medi-Cal," said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered
California. "It's through communities like [San Bernardino] where we know there are
Californians who have access to benefits aren't taking advantage of
them, and we want to help connect them to that coverage."
About IEHP
With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland
Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid
health plans, the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid public
health plan in the country, and for the third year in a row,
certified as A Great Place To Work®. In its 27th year,
IEHP supports more than 1.4 million Riverside and San
Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP
DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). Today, IEHP has
a growing network of nearly 6,800 providers and more than 3,000
team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not
rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health.
To learn more, go to iehp.org.
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SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)
