Santa Barbara, CA – October 2, 2018 – A 1983 experiment in health care in Santa Barbara County gave birth to a health plan recognized by The Ford Foundation and Harvard University for its innovation and efficiency. That plan – originally called the Santa Barbara Health Initiative – is now known as CenCal Health, the first local-control Medicaid program of its kind in the nation.
ORANGE, California. (September 24, 2018) — For the fifth year in a row, CalOptima is California’s top-rated Medi-Cal plan, according to the NCQA’s Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2018–2019. The NCQA ratings are based on standardized health care quality and customer satisfaction data.
CAMARILLO, Calif., September 7, 2018 – Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) today announced its partnership with California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) to train nursing students.
Starting in the spring semester, five nurses from GCHP’s Health Services Department will work with as many as seven nursing students from the school to introduce them to the world of Medi-Cal managed care.
(French Camp, CA) – Health Plan of San Joaquin continues to encourage future Central Valley doctors, nurses and pharmacists. With its Health Careers Scholarships (HCS) program, HPSJ this year supports up to six local schools and programs, including San Joaquin Medical Society’s DECISION MEDICINE. To date, over HPSJ 170 scholarships have been awarded to deserving students in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
(French Camp, CA) – The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded Health Plan of San Joaquin its three-year reaccreditation in the category of Medicaid HMO. NCQA is one of the most comprehensive evaluations in the health insurance industry.
HPSJ Chief Medical Officer Lakshmi Dhanvanthari, MD, said: “Health Plans accredited by NCQA demonstrate their ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality care… NCQA is very member focused and this reaccreditation reaffirms the company wide dedication to serve our members and the community.”
Los Angeles – L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly-operated health plan in the country, held a “white coat” ceremony today to announce the eight students receiving full medical school scholarships of up to $350,000 through the plan’s Elevating the Safety Net initiative, which also launched today.
San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP), a community managed care health plan serving over 140,000 San Francisco residents, announced today that it has launched a new benefit “Health Homes for Patients with Complex Needs”. San Francisco County is the first county in California to launch this innovative new Health Homes benefit allowing for fully coordinated care for eligible Medi-Cal members with chronic conditions.
1: What is relatively unique about Medi-Cal managed care compared to Medicaid programs elsewhere in the country?
Brianna Lierman: California is the nation’s most populous state and has the nation’s highest poverty rate when considering the high cost of living, so it follows that we also have the largest Medicaid program (“Medi-Cal”) with nearly 14 million Californians enrolled. Over 80% are enrolled in the state’s organized managed care delivery system while the rest are in traditional fee-for-service, which is on par with other states.
Presented by SurfMedia Communications, a Santa Barbara-based PR and marketing firm, some 60 nonprofit leaders from across the tri-counties joined forces at the Narrative Loft in Santa Barbara June 27 for an opportunity to reflect on recent challenges and plan for the future of their organizations.
International speaker, trainer and author Tai Sunnanon led the discussion at the event. Sunnanon commented on the abundance of leadership expertise in the room, and commended nonprofit leaders in the region for their resiliency and adaptability in the wake of recent disasters.
Meals That Connect hosted their 11th annual “Night of a Million Meals” event recently to raise money to feed San Luis Obispo County seniors. Thanks to a $100,000 matching funds offer from CenCal Health, the event raised close to $250,000.
Veteran nonprofit health care manager Amy Shin was looking for a leadership position in 2013, and Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) seemed to offer the right fit. After years of working in senior roles at respected Bay Area managed care organizations, here was a CEO job not too far from her Oakland home.
Community Action Commission (CAC) recently honored those who’ve helped improve the lives of children, youth, families and seniors in Santa Barbara County. The 13th annual Champions event, held at Hotel Corque in Solvang, recognized:
Fran Forman – As the recently retired executive director of Community Action Commission, Forman has worked on behalf of children, teens, families and seniors to promote their education, job skills, physical/emotional well-being, and economic security in an effort to stabilize their lives.
CenCal Health, the healthcare provider for nearly 180,000 Central Coast residents, marked its 10th anniversary operating in San Luis Obispo County with an evening of celebration and community recognition on March 28.
FRENCH CAMP—It’s been five years since Amy Shin became the CEO of Health Plan of San Joaquin, a not-for-profit health plan that helps low-income residents secure high-quality health care. In that time, Shin has worked tirelessly with HPSJ staff to increase membership, provide health education to the public and even combat illiteracy. Though there is a long way to go, Shin believes the organization is moving in the right direction.
Gun violence in this country is an epidemic, and it needs to be treated like every other epidemic, as a public health crisis. The first step to finding a “cure” for any public health crisis is research. The new spending bill signed into law on March 23 included one sentence saying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has the authority to research gun violence. But with no funding attached, it’s meaningless.
It is the honor of my life to be able to say – In May, I celebrate my 5th anniversary at HPSJ!
I have had the privilege to be part of and help lead amazing, innovating organizations during my career. But none has so completely woven together, as Health Plan of San Joaquin, my personal passions, organizational mission, and the overwhelming sense of community commitment.
The health-care battlefield is burning brighter than ever. Eight years after the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), conservatives think that the ACA is an overreach of government authority and should be repealed. Progressives, on the other hand, believe that the ACA should be replaced by a single-payer system operated with public funds, guaranteeing universal coverage for all citizens.
More than 70 attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed, but the groundbreaking legislation is still facing death by a thousand cuts, and it’s clear we cannot depend on Washington to fix what ails the health care system. The health care industry must step up and develop reforms that will ensure the most vulnerable continue to have access to quality care.
