In The News

(French Camp, CA) – Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) CEO Amy Shin announced today that the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded to HPSJ a Three-Year Health Plan Accreditation for its Medicaid/HMO line of business (Medicaid is known as Medi-Cal in California). The official award recognizes HPSJ as “ACCREDITED for service and clinical quality that meet or exceed NCQA’s rigorous requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement.”

Effective June 17, 2015, the award was earned by HPSJ after a substantial and lengthy review of the health plan’s quality initiatives and service delivery processes. HPSJ is now one of only 11 California health plans that has achieved this ACCREDITED distinction for its Medi-Cal HMO line of business. This is the first attempt by Health Plan of San Joaquin for NCQA accreditation which impacts all areas of HPSJ.

NCQA Assistant Vice President of Accreditation Dayna Bell, in her official letter announcing the award, said, “We wish to acknowledge your quality improvement efforts, which were evident throughout the survey process. NCQA looks forward to working with you and your staff again in the future.”

Shin said that “the award from NCQA is especially gratifying in that it acknowledges both the quality of care that HPSJ offers, as well as the hard work by all staff to attain this level of unique national recognition.” Shin said that one-third of HPSJ’s over 300,000 membership occurred in 2014, with implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the expansion of Medi-Cal. She said, “During this time of unprecedented growth, HPSJ staff have been heroic in their work to ensure high levels of health care on behalf of our rapidly increased membership. At the same time, we have maintained our focus on consistent delivery of quality services and programs.”

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Lakshmi Dhanvanthari, MD, supervised the NCQA submission process as part of her oversight of HPSJ’s quality review and maintenance programs. She said that the accreditation means ongoing commitment to assure that the highest quality standards are maintained throughout the three year length of the award. She said, “We take this award as a significant recognition of the hard work of every staff member and their commitment to HPSJ’s mission. Further, it is an affirmation of the positive direction set by the Health Commission (HPSJ’s governing board), working in tandem with staff, to provide the very best health and wellness care to our growing membership.”

In a congratulatory message to staff, Dr. Dhanvanthari went on to list what national recognition means for HPSJ’s organization and mission (“We provide healthcare value and advance wellness through our community partnerships.”) –

• HPSJ has surpassed benchmarks for the health care industry
• We’ve shown our programs align with NCQA standards which reflect our efforts toward high levels of service and quality
• Achieving NCQA means that we have committed to a level of operations to make sure our community has access to the care they deserve.

About NCQA

National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Web site (www.ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

---

About Health Plan of San Joaquin
HPSJ, a not-for-profit health plan, has been serving members and the community since 1996. Located in the heart of California’s multicultural Central Valley, HPSJ is the leading Medi-Cal Managed Care provider in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. HPSJ offers a broad network of providers and works closely with physicians to develop programs and services to ensure quality health care for over 300,000 members. With a staff of close to 300 employees in multiple regional sites, HPSJ strives to improve healthcare delivery for underserved families and individuals.

Media Contact:
David Hurst
Vice President, External Affairs
Health Plan of San Joaquin
Phone: 209-461-2241
Text: 916-802-3734
dhurst@hpsj.com