CalOPTIMA Working Well

* As one who has been actively involved in health care issues in Orange County and California for over 14 years, I read with interest your Feb. 5 article about CalOPTIMA’s services to the disabled population. The issue of appropriate access for Medi-Cal patients did not just arise with the implementation of CalOPTIMA.

As chairman of Martin Luther Hospital in Anaheim during the late 1980s, I saw increasing numbers of patients, including women in late stages of labor, presenting themselves at our emergency department for care. The vast majority were Medi-Cal patients who did not have access to primary care physicians, let alone specialists.

With the start of CalOPTIMA, nearly 240,000 members are now enrolled with primary care physicians, providing care in appropriate settings and saving the taxpayers of Orange County millions of dollars through reduced health care costs.

Your article focused on the disabled population within Medi-Cal. This is one of the most complex and expensive groups to serve medically. In fact, what I found striking in your article was the 85% satisfaction rate with CalOPTIMA among the disabled population.

The lawsuit referenced in the article apparently named only eight disabled persons. While each of these individuals deserves access and the care they need, I consider the tens of thousands of Orange County’s Medi-Cal population who now have access to be a superior accomplishment for a new, pioneering program.

I certainly hope the CalOPTIMA program continues to improve so that all members believe they are well served. I also believe the overall achievements of the program warrant the continued support of the community to improve the health care for low-income and disabled groups.

CRAIG BEAM

Orange