Two counties in the HASC region will serve as pilot sites for the state’s Dual Eligibles Demonstration, according to an announcement by the California Department of Health Care Services last week. Los Angeles and Orange Counties were selected as pilot sites, along with San Diego and San Mateo.

The demonstration project seeks to provide efficiencies in the delivery of services to patients who are eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal. The program will emphasize care coordination for individuals and prevention of hospital and nursing home admissions through expansion of home and community-based services. LA Care Health Plan and HealthNet are submitting applications to be dual pilot plans in Los Angeles County, while CalOptima will administer the Orange County program.

In Los Angeles County, the dual eligibles population is estimated to be 382,312, or 32 percent of all Medicare recipients in the county. Orange County’s dual eligibles population is estimated at 74,772, or 19 percent of all Medicare recipients in the county.