United States EPA honors L.A. Care Health Plan With National Environmental Leadership Award

Nation's Largest Public Health Plan Honored for High-Quality Asthma Care With Environmental Controls

LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- L.A. Care Health Plan has been selected to receive the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2012 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management for its exemplary efforts to deliver high-quality asthma care that includes environmental controls.

"L.A. Care is honored to receive the highest national environmental leadership award for its L.A. Cares About Asthma® program, which is designed to improve the quality of life of individuals and families suffering from asthma," says Howard Kahn, CEO of L.A. Care Health Plan.  "Our team-based asthma management program excels in providing intense interventions and access to specialty asthma care.  By collaborating with community-based organizations such as Esperanza Community Housing Corporation to educate health promoters and others in how to identify environmental triggers and other asthma management skills, we can keep asthma under control."

"We are delighted that our L.A. Cares About Asthma® program is being recognized by EPA, especially because it has not only positively impacted our members but the whole community," says Dr. Elaine Batchlor, Chief Medical Officer at L.A. Care Health Plan.  "The program has been tailored to be culturally sensitive and responsive to the needs of the diverse patient population we serve, especially in the most ethnically diverse county in the nation."

This award recognizes stellar asthma management programs that are using innovative approaches to improve patient health and quality of life. L.A. Care Health Plan is one of only four programs across the nation to receive this prestigious award this year, and the only health plan. Award winners are recognized for demonstrating that comprehensive asthma care, in conjunction with a strong environmental component, can dramatically improve health outcomes for people with asthma.

Nationwide, an estimated 25.7 million people, including approximately 7.1 million children, have asthma.  In a classroom of 30 students, 3 are likely to have asthma.  Asthma accounts for nearly 10.5 million missed schools days.  Asthma is one of the most common serious chronic diseases of childhood and the third-ranking cause of hospitalizations among children under 15.

"EPA is recognizing L.A. Care Health Plan for their outstanding efforts to reduce the burden of asthma for families in their communities," said Mike Flynn, Director of EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air. "This program is achieving positive environmental and health outcomes, and EPA applauds their innovation and dedication to controlling asthma." 

For more information about EPA's National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management, visit http://www.epa.gov/asthma.

About L.A. Care Health Plan

L.A. Care Health Plan (Local Initiative Health Authority of Los Angeles County) is a public entity and community-accountable health plan serving residents of Los Angeles County through a variety of programs including Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, L.A. Care's Healthy Kids, and L.A. Care Health Plan Medicare Advantage HMO SNP. L.A. Care is a leader in developing new programs through innovative partnerships designed to provide health coverage to vulnerable populations and to support the safety net. With over one million members, L.A. Care is the nation's largest public health plan. For more information, please visit www.lacare.org.

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SOURCE L.A. Care Health Plan