Medi-Cal

About Medi-Cal

Every year, California’s hospitals treat millions of patients, many of them covered by Medi-Cal, the state’s health care safety net. This includes numerous essential health care services for Californians, including care for more than 50% of all births, 46% of behavioral health-related emergency department visits, 58% of rural hospital patient care days, 1 million inpatient stays, and nearly 16 million outpatient visits in 2018. CHA is committed to protecting Medi-Cal rates and assuring that the state’s neediest maintain access to the high quality of care that all Californians deserve.

5 Things To Know: Workforce Council Meeting, Ambulance Patient Offload Times, Domestic Violence Training

MEDI-CAL MANAGED CARE RFP: On Feb. 9, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released a request for proposal (RFP) for its commercial Medi-Cal managed care plan (MCP) contracts. While this RFP is only for commercial Medi-Cal MCPs, the updated contract will be executed with all Medi-Cal MCPs, including County Organized Health Systems, Local Initiatives, and the new Single Plan Model. The updated MCP contract, which is released with the RFP, also serves as the minimum definition of requirements. MCP proposals are due April 11, and DHCS expects to award contracts to selected plans in August. New contracts will become effective Jan. 1, 2024. A voluntary pre-proposal web conference will be held on Feb. 24 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (PT). Pre-registration is required, and questions will be taken only via the webinar chat feature.

5 Things To Know: Monoclonal Antibodies Survey, Updated COVID-19 Surge FAQs, Mental Health Resources

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES: A reminder that monoclonal antibodies are available for early treatment of COVID-19 in both San Diego and Imperial counties. More information, including treatment sites and how to refer patients, is available for San Diego County and Imperial County providers. In addition, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is requesting that providers complete by Dec. 3 an updated survey to help understand how frequently monoclonal antibodies are being used at health care facilities (both for treatment and as post-exposure prophylaxis). This information will be used to ensure that CDPH adequately addresses supply, education, and/or resource gaps. The updated survey includes new questions to reflect the evolving landscape of distribution. Health care facilities are encouraged to complete the survey, even if they completed it previously.

5 Things To Know: Medi-Cal RFP Update, Board Meeting Highlights, Key Messaging on Workforce Shortages

MANAGED CARE PLAN RFP UPDATE: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has adjusted the release date of the Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Request for Proposal (RFP) to Feb. 2, 2022. Although the RFP was scheduled to be released at the end of this year, the change will not affect the implementation date of Jan. 1, 2024. Additional time is needed to address stakeholder comments received during the comment period for the draft RFP. Updates to the RFP schedule will be posted on the DHCS website. HASD&IC will continue to engage with County of San Diego officials on the process. The Imperial County Board of Supervisors has approved the adoption of a single-managed care plan model through an 1115 Waiver.

5 Things To Know: COVID-19 After Action Report, Price Transparency Key Messages, Immunization Registry

SDHDC COVID-19 AFTER ACTION REPORT: The San Diego Healthcare Disaster Coalition (SDHDC), in coordination with Constant Associates, a health care preparedness consulting firm, is creating COVID-19 After Action Report (AAR) templates for hospitals and other health care facilities on their responses to date. The idea is to help the SDHDC facilities and partners collect lessons learned, identify facility-specific and coalition-wide key strengths and areas for improvement, and complete their own facility-specific AAR.

5 Things To Know: COVID-19 Testing Sites, Monoclonal Antibody Therapy, Behavioral Health Trailer Bills

COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO EXPANDS COVID-19 TESTING SITES: As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to increase, so too has the demand for COVID-19 testing. To help divert people from coming to emergency departments for testing and make access as convenient as possible, the County of San Diego is reopening some of its former large testing sites, including the site at San Diego State University. Additional COVID-19 testing sites and mobile sites are being added to the list of options. Primary health care providers, community health clinics, and pharmacies all continue to offer testing. To find a site near you, visit the county website at Sites & Appointments.

5 Things To Know: Medi-Cal Managed Care, Behavioral Health Hearings, State Budget Agreement

San Diego County Board of Supervisors Address Medi-Cal Managed Care: Lask week, HASD&IC President & CEO Dimitrios Alexiou provided public comment (testimony starts at 4:08) in support of the Framework for the Future: Improving the County’s Wellness Care Delivery System to Address Health Disparities Exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic and shared the HASD&IC Board of Directors guiding principles for new Medi-Cal managed care contracts. He emphasized the importance of using this opportunity to prioritize patients, strengthen local oversight, and increase accountability. HASD&IC will continue to engage with supervisors on the Medi-Cal managed care procurement process.