Humboldt-Del Norte Presentation

		Calif.
White:	84.1%	51.5
Hispanic:	6.4%	29.9
Native American:	5.6%	0.6
Asian American:	2.6%	11.1
African American:	1.3%	6.9

Private Employers (4,116):

		Calif.
1-4 Employees	57%	55
5-9 Employees	21%	19
10-19 Employees	12%	12
20-49 Employees	7%	9
50-99 Employees	2%	3
100+ Employees	1%	2

Insurance Mix:

		Calif.
Commercial Insurance	48%	60
Medi-Cal	20%	15
Uninsured/Self Pay	19%	15
Medicare	13%	10

Physicians (1999):

Primary Care	139 (43%)
Specialists	182 (57%)

Hospitals:

• The General Hospital
• Mad River Community Hospital
• St. Joseph Health System (2)
• Southern Humboldt Community Healthcare District
• Sutter Coast Hospital

Community Clinics (aprox. 183,205 patient encounters/yr):

• Del Norte Community Health Center
• Humboldt Open Door Clinic
• Northcountry Clinic
• Six Rivers Planned Parenthood
• Eureka Community Health Center
• Redwood Rural Health Center
• Southern Humboldt Community Clinic
• United Indian Health Services
• Hoopa Health Association

Nonprofit Organizations

• 405 (not including schools, government, etc.)

Summary of Efforts to Create a Community-Based Health Plan in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties

July 1993	Access to Care Committee formed by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.
June 1994	"June 30th Group" formed from provider representatives of the Access to Care Committee.
November 1995	Employer Coalition of large self-insured employers created to begin joint negotiations with health care providers; Core Group of the June 30th Group formed to create a community-based health plan with Wausau Insurance Co.
May 1997	Core Group attempts to form an independent community-based Management Services Organization (without partnership of Wausau).
Summer 1997	Developing Rural Integrated Systems (DRIS) project (James Irvine Foundation grant) begins forming community health committees in six communities on the North Coast to identify a health care financing function for the North Coast.
October 1997	The Humboldt-Del Norte Regional Health Council (RHC) is formed from representatives of the community health committees and several "at-large" participants
April 25, 1998	A healthcare symposium is held at College of the Redwoods near Eureka for all project participants. The California Institute for Rural Health Management (CIRHM) offers options for projects which could be pursued through the DRIS grant
May 29, 1998	The RHC decides to proceed with the development of a community-owned Administrative Services Organization (ASO).
June 1998	All six community health committees meet and agree to support the ASO project
June 30, 1998	The RHC forms a Business Strategy Committee and Community Benefit Committee to work with CIRHM consultants to develop a feasibility study and business plan for the ASO.
November 20, 1998	The RHC adopts mission and vision statements for the Council and the ASO.
June 1999	An ASO Financial Feasibility Analysis is completed by CIRHM and Rural Health Consultants demonstrating the viability of an ASO with sufficient numbers of covered lives, but leaves unresolved questions about a purchaser-provider risk-sharing arrangement and existing ASO/third-party administrator relationships.
January 18, 2000	The RHC decides to incorporate itself as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization and confirms its commitment to pursue an ASO and community health functions, but also wants to study a small business product and a referee service organization to provide more options for North Coast employers.

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