Ucare Minnesota

Programs: Ucare operates a health maintenance organization (hmo) providing coordinated health care and coverage for over 451,586 individuals from the community enrolled in state public programs, federal medicare advantage programs, and mnsure marketplace plans, including medicaid and medicare, and indivudual and family policies. Ucare's programs provide services to seniors, low-income families, those with physical disablilities and other individuals who may have challenges accessing health care. Ucare also serves those seeking individual and family plan coverage through mnsure. Ucare's mission is to improve the health of our members through innovative services and partnerships across communities. In 2014, ucare's quality monitoring and program initiatives demonstrated many significant activities and outcomes. The highlights are outlined below. O statistically significant (p>0. 05) clinical improvements for our members were identified in the following healthcare effectiveness data and information set ("hedis") measurements for medicare and medicaid: care of older adults medication review, breast cancer screening, persistence of beta-blocker treatment after a heart attack, o other areas of statistically significant higher scores than the state and national average were identified in the consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems (cahps) survey and included: rating of all health care, rating of personal doctor, rating of health plan, getting needed care, getting care quickly, how well doctors communicate, customer service, coordination of care, getting needed prescriptions. O the health outcome survey (hos) showed statistically significant increases in: reducing the risk of falling. O ucare's health improvement efforts also were reflected in 2014 by earning 4. 5 out of 5 stars in the cms medicare performance assessment report for its ucare for seniors product and 3. 5 for the minnesota senior health options product. Ucare's community benefit program:in addition to ucare's core business of providing public health care program plans that seek to improve the health of our communities, ucare's community benefit program reaches out to: o address social determinants of healtho strengthen providers that serve populations with challenges accessing care. O encourage the wellness of families and seniorso support research, programs, and organizations that benefit health care quality and delivery. During 2014, ucare helped fund many community organizations and providers delivering services, research, and programs that reach beyond ucare's membership, including efforts to strengthen the social safety net for at-risk families and seniors. Examples include funding for: hiv-specific housing and supportive services through clare housing; minneapolis urban league scholarship program that provides opportunities for african descendants and other people of color; national alliance for the mentally ill, a grassroots organization dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental illness; lutheran social services senior companion program as it impacts and enhances the lives of many older adults who are attempting to remain in their own homes; and the minnesota academy of family physicians research forum which provides opportunities for family medicine researchers to share innovations in their field. Ucare employees also devoted time to participate in collaborations working to improve health care quality and advance public health and health care access, including projects aimed at reducing language and cultural barriers. Examples of organizations and collaborations with which our employees worked include: community health worker project, institute for clinical systems improvement, minnesota community measurement, health literacy partnership, interpreter stakeholders group, metro and minnesota public health association/health plan collaboration, and the multilingual health resource exchange. Ucare provides many health promotion, disease management, care management and wellness programs. These efforts not only benefit the health of its enrollees, but positively affect their families and larger communities. Examples include: disease management programs for asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and congestive heart failure; falls prevention programs to improve safety of seniors; management of maternity services (m. O. M. S. ) programs that provide resources to enrollees and providers to improve pregnancy and post-partum health, car seat distribution and education to pregnant women; and distribution of free materials on health education and proper use of urgent and emergency facilities at community forums. Ucare's mobile dental clinic, operated with the university of minnesota school of dentistry, offers quality oral health care to ucare members with dental access issues. In 2014, the mdc staff performed 5,403 preventive and restorative procedures for more than 1,170 members at 16 sites in minnesota. Ucare encourages employees and their families to volunteer time and financial resources in the community. Ucare provides organizational support for volunteer services to education, social services, and health organizations that build capacity in local communities to improve the welfare of at-risk families and seniors. Examples of employee volunteer efforts include support for the following: adopt-a-family gift drive, food/school supply drives, jeremiah house "cook for kids", northeast dinner bell, keystone community services, pratt community school reading program and little brothers friends of the elderly. Ucare provides support for the ucare foundation, a community-directed initiative of ucare. Grant-making is focused on programs and initiatives that improve the health of underserved populations in the twin cities and throughout greater minnesota and western wisconsin with innovative services, education, community outreach, and research. Priority was given in 2014 to projects focusing on preventive health care, quality initiatives for chronic disease management, and promotion of healthy lifestyles and disabilities. Examples of ucare foundation grants awared in 2014, include support for the following programs and projects: amherst h. Wilder foundation: the twin cities mobile market is a grocery store on wheels that sells healthy foods at below-market prices in low-income neighborhoods. The mobile market beneftis over 275,000 low-income residents in the twin cities who do not have ready access to grocery stores that sell fresh, healthy foods. Dakota county public health department: this project identifies low-income families with asthma risk factors and provides cost-effective interventions that reduce illness and health care visits, hospitalizations, and costs. Des moines valley health and human services: this project improves active living opportunities in rural communities throughout cottonwood, jackson, and nobles county by increasing physical activity and improving school nutrition. Miller-dwan foundation: funding is used to create exercise space and implement programming that encourages physical activity for adult psychiatric patients. Pillsbury united communities: this project aims to build on community assets to support improved health for east african immigrants, reduce incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and evaluate and document effectiveness of this community-based approach. Ucare's financial contributions to the university of minnesota medical school, department of family medicine nad community health supported activities in 2014 to enhance and strengthen family medicine education, research, and innovative health service delivery that improves the health of people and communities of minnesota. In addition to providing critical funding to support family medicine education, efforts include: the rural physician associate program; development of global health educational experience for residents and medical students; volunteering to provide preventive health services to underserved populations at homeless and free clinics; mentoring north minneapolis youth interested in medical careers; working with high risk adolescents at job corps centers; and research in health disparities, post-partum, depression, and smoking cessation programs.