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SBC Public Health Dept. Receives Grant
updated: Oct 27, 2011, 10:17 AM

Source: Lois Capps' Office

Today Congresswoman Lois Capps announced that the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has been awarded a three year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Advanced Primary Care Demonstration (APCP) grant to improve the care it delivers to Medicare beneficiaries and other patients. The funding was made available by the health reform law, the Affordable Care Act.

The Advanced Primary Care Demonstration grant program is one of the initiatives in the health care law designed to combat the explosive growth in health care costs by improving the quality and coordination of health care services. This will be accomplished by implementing new strategies to better manage chronic conditions and reduce repeat hospitalizations, which both saves money and improves the health of patients. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will be paid a $6.00 monthly fee for each eligible Medicare beneficiary that receives primary care services to enhance service coordination. The new payment system will incentivize the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department for the quality of care it provides rather than just the quantity of services.

"This funding for the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is a win-win. It's a win for the patients who will receive better care and it's a win for taxpayers as we implement strategies that will reduce the cost of delivering high quality health care. One of the best ways to get our fiscal house in order and reduce our long term debt is to reduce the explosive growth in health care costs---and that's exactly what this demonstration program is designed to do. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will be able to put this funding to work to provide better care to patients in a primary care setting where they feel at home and to reduce expensive trips to the emergency room," said Capps.

"The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is honored and excited that two of our clinic sites have been selected for participation in the Advanced Primary Care Practice demonstration project. This funding will be used to pilot a new model of care, called the Patient Centered Medical Home, which will transform our clinical operations by improving the integration of services, coordinating care through team based approaches, empowering patients through shared decision making and disease self management, realizing greater efficiencies through health information technology and creating greater access to care. Research has demonstrated that this health care delivery model will lead to improved quality of care and health outcomes, as well as cost savings over time," said Dr. Takashi Wada, Director of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department

"Health centers are integral parts of our communities," said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Donald M. Berwick, M.D. "This initiative will give participating health centers the help they need to improve care for many people with Medicare who rely on them as their main source of care."

During the three year demonstration period, the CMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation will study the impact of the new payment system's focus on the quality rather than the quantity of health care services provided on hospital admission rates, emergency room visits, and the quality and cost of care provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

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Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 226906	2011-10-27 10:28 AM
Reminds me of the song - I want to be Elected - Elected - I want to be Elected .........
COMMENT 226945	2011-10-27 11:52 AM
Good deal. Anything that will help save our tax dollars is the way we need to go. Thanks.
COMMENT 226948	2011-10-27 11:57 AM
Must be an election year, Capps is handing out our tax money to anyone she can to get elected. This has got to be the fourth or fifth Op ed announcing money from Caps to some local group.
COMMENT 226949	2011-10-27 12:05 PM
More Federal heroin for the California junky.
COMMENT 226960	2011-10-27 12:43 PM
While I'm all for reducing costs and raising benefits, "The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will be paid a $6.00 monthly fee for each eligible Medicare beneficiary..." Sounds like spending to me. And Capps even says this, "It's a win for the patients who will receive better care and it's a win for taxpayers as we implement strategies that will reduce the cost..." How is $6/month/patient spending REDUCING cost? This is a new program, this is new spending. No wonder our county is in a financial crisis. Folks don't understand that savings or cost reduction CAN'T HAPPEN by spending MORE money!
COMMENT 226967	2011-10-27 12:53 PM
945. What do you mean 'help save our tax dollars?' This grant comes from our tax dollars. It is not saving taxpayers anything it is spending it. Lois Capps is a pig a the trough of hardworking Americans' tax dollars. You gotta wonder with all these tax payer dollars she is spending what deal she is making to get them. My guess is she's been bought, sold, paid for and muzzled for every dime.
COMMENT 227061	2011-10-27 04:05 PM
967, Couldn't have said it better. 945 is one of those individuals who believe the fed's pick money off of trees and it costs us nothing. Unbelievable....
COMMENT 227071	2011-10-27 04:27 PM
I'm glad we have Lois out there helping our senior citizens. But since it's happy hour, I won't decry the fact that many "tea party" types disagree.
COMMENT 227097	2011-10-27 04:56 PM
071 - I think - you think - dollars Grows on trees - set aside the party BS - Use your brain if you have one -
COMMENT 227100	2011-10-27 04:59 PM
@906 No, money comes from the taxpayers to be spent by the government on services and infrastructure. Do people actually think money grows on trees?
COMMENT 227107	2011-10-27 05:06 PM
Since the Federal Reserve can just print "money" at will, it might as well grow on trees since there is nothing of worth backing up the currency anyway!
COMMENT 227137	2011-10-27 06:17 PM
Sy - Do you live in Cuba?
COMMENT 227143	2011-10-27 06:33 PM
@906 Nope! I wouldn't particularly care to, either. For a variety of reasons.
COMMENT 227159	2011-10-27 07:35 PM
SY - The heath care is so good and the revolutionary ideal is so strong - lets all clap for Mike Moore and his propaganda machine....... Just say'n SSSHHHHHHHHH
COMMENT 227175P	2011-10-27 08:25 PM
OK! All of you, when you need health care, JUST SAY NO to the benefits you feel so strongly principled against.
COMMENT 227185P	2011-10-27 08:56 PM
Health care is bemoaned??? Everyone should be up in arms about the billions of dollars ripped off by the Wall Street. A good documentary - http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/meltdown/
COMMENT 227288	2011-10-28 10:14 AM
Lois Capps is a hack and a joke. Replace her next election.
COMMENT 227351	2011-10-28 12:04 PM
If Lois Capps personally cured cancer, those against her would criticize her for it.
COMMENT 227461	2011-10-28 03:46 PM
I never cease to be amazed by the knee-jerk negative reactions to any post that contains the words "Lois Capps." Reminds me of "Young Frankenstein" and its running gag about "Frau Blucher."
COMMENT 227591	2011-10-29 06:43 AM
351- If she did anything - we would be happy - Fact is she does nothing - and you all want us to love someone that goes with the flow and doles out money ....can you be serious - we need people that are aggressive and get it done....with this lackluster talking head - we get nothing but a demoprogressive seat occupied and a vote to go the animal

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