Store
Starting in January, California will embark on an ambitious experiment to control asthma in its most vulnerable patients. Medi-Cal will offer recipients unconventional in-home “treatments” not traditionally considered healthcare: removing mold, installing air purifiers and even replacing carpeting, blinds and mattresses.
Medi-Cal Asthma Preventive Services (APS) will comprise clinic-based asthma self-management education, home-based asthma self-management education and in-home environmental trigger assessments for eligible beneficiaries of any age, as medically necessary, subject to applicable utilization controls.
This policy provides asthma self-management education and in-home environmental trigger assessments for people with asthma. The assessments identify common asthma triggers in the home, such as allergens and irritants. The education includes information on how to use asthma medications and self-monitoring skills. A physician or other licensed practitioner must recommend these services.
These new asthma benefits are just a small part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sweeping $6 billion initiative to transform the largest Medicaid program in the country. The initiative, known as CalAIM, will target the state’s sickest and most expensive patients and cover an array of new social services, including home-delivered healthy meals; help with grocery shopping, laundry and money management; and security deposits for homeless people in search of housing.
