The California Department of Managed Health Care has been awarded a $4.6 million federal grant to assist consumers with questions about health insurance and to improve data collection on health care problems and trends, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Grant Details
California received the largest consumer assistance grant in the U.S.
It is the second grant awarded to DMHC under the federal health reform law.
The state Department of Insurance and Office of the Patient Advocate partnered with DMHC on the application.
How the Funds Will Be Used
The funds are slated to help the state:
- Create accessible information about health care services and resources for seniors and people with disabilities;
- Develop recommendations to improve and standardize data collection and reporting on consumer issues and their resolution;
- Expand resources and training materials for organizations that assist consumers;
- Expand partnerships with not-for-profit community groups to provide direct, local consumer assistance; and
- Improve state regulators' administrative and technical ability to help consumers (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 8/27).