Beginning in early 2008, the Commonwealth of Kentucky will begin phasing in a new service for state employees and their dependents: medical house calls.
The service will be provided through the state’s health-plan administrator, Humana Inc. and Carena Inc. Under the program, Carena doctors will treat state employees and their family members with urgent health care needs at their homes – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
According to state officials, the new plan is not intended to be a substitute for primary care, but is designed to serve as a bridge that provides medical care for urgent health needs when the patient’s primary care provider is not available, such as after hours or on weekends.
Personnel Cabinet Secretary Brian Crall noted that the new program will also eliminate unnecessary trips to hospital emergency rooms, “which will save money for both state employees and Kentucky taxpayers.”
Founded in 2000, Carena delivers urgent health care to employers, such as Microsoft and Costco. Based on survey results, 99 percent of employees who received house calls said they were satisfied with the experience.
With the launch of the in-home urgent care program in early 2008, Kentucky will become the first state to offer the Carena program to its employees. The program will be phased in, offered initially in Louisville and the surrounding area.
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