California's HMO Enrollees: Diversity in Language and Education Poses Challenges for Health Plans

Publication Date: May 2003

Publisher: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Author(s): Gerald F. Kominski; Deborah Glik; Cori Reifman

Research Area: Health

Keywords: HMOs; MediCal; Healthy Families

Type: Brief

Coverage: California

Abstract:

California’s health maintenance organizations (HMOs) face serious challenges in meeting the needs of their members who have diverse language proficiency and educational attainment. This policy brief summarizes findings from a report that is the most comprehensive profile of the state’s entire HMO membership available to date, including commercial, Medicare, Medi-Cal, and Healthy Families members. Also included are an assessment of the readability of HMO member materials and the availability of linguistic services for limited Englishproficiency members, who represent almost 5% of HMO members statewide