Upward Health was recognized by two recent publications for its growing presence in California. The California Health Care Foundation released an Innovation Landscape Report on Medi-Cal and Opportunities for Health Tech in Home-Based Medical Care, which featured in-home providers serving patients in California and beyond. Upward Health was featured in the report as a provider of both longitudinal and episodic services to patients in a whole-person care model. OPEN MINDS, a publication focused on the care of individuals with chronic conditions and complex support needs, wrote an article about Upward Health’s new partnership with the Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM) (Health Plan Of San Mateo Selects Upward Health To Provide Home-Based Care – OPEN MINDS). Both the OPEN MINDS article and the California Health Care Foundation report noted that HPSM selected Upward Health in late 2021 as the provider for its HomeAdvantage Program. This program, which was also profiled by the California Health Care Foundation report, is available to HPSM members who are eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) and who have complex medical, behavioral, and social challenges.

“Upward Health is honored to serve patients in California”

— Mark Treat, Chief Strategy Officer – Upward Health

“Our relationship with HPSM offers an excellent opportunity for us to deliver care in the homes of their high-acuity members.” Mark continued, “We are grateful to see Upward Health’s work covered by a prominent publication like OPEN MINDS. We have expanded rapidly in the last year and are excited about the prospects of working with a growing number of patients in California and other states.” California is the most recent addition to the 9 states in which Upward Health is contracted to provide in-home care to patients eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.

The California Health Care Foundation’s report focused on how home-based medical providers are key to increasing access and reducing acute care service utilization for seniors, individuals with complex medical needs, and those with disabilities. It highlighted the importance of patient and caregiver engagement for providers like Upward Health to be successful with home-based care. The report described how high-touch services can be augmented with the use of technology. Upward Health’s innovative model of care features Facilitated Virtual Care visits.  With these facilitated visits, Upward Health staff are co-located with patient and use technology to bring a physician into the patient’s home. Upward Health staff are equipped with video technology and digital diagnostic devices that can make it feel like an in-person provider visit without requiring the patient to travel to an office. Additionally, Upward Health uses remote patient monitoring to keep an eye on the patient’s health in between provider visits.

Both publications described how Upward Health’s in-home services provide greater access to care for patients with high needs. Mark shared more about the company’s commitment to delivering care to people who are not well served by the traditional healthcare system: “In addition to improving quality of care and health outcomes, Upward Health is focused on improving health equity. It is exciting that underserved patients will now have access to Upward Health’s comprehensive whole person services including primary care, integrated behavioral health, and extensive supports for social determinants of health. Our experience has shown that access to the complete suite of services is the only way to deliver breakthrough improvements in outcomes.”