"How do I choose my Medi-Cal plan"

If you’ve been approved for Medi-Cal and are ready to choose a managed health plan, we have provided below Medi-Cal Managed care plan options to help you make a decision. The Medi-Cal plan options available to you depend on where you live (county). You are required to choose a plan within 30 days after approval. See below for details on plans available in your county.

Table of Contents

  • What is Managed Care?
  • What is Medi-Cal Managed Care?
  • How to join a Medi-Cal health plan
  • Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Options
  • Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans by County

"Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Options"

What is Managed Care?

Managed Care is a term that is used to describe a health insurance plan or health care system that coordinates the provision, quality, and cost of care for its enrolled members.

In general, when you enroll in a managed care plan, you select a regular doctor, called a primary care practitioner (PCP), who will be responsible for coordinating your health care.

Your PCP will refer you to specialists or other health care providers or procedures as necessary.

The Managed care plans pay the health care providers directly, so enrollees do not have to pay out–of–pocket for covered services or submit claim forms for care received from the plan’s network of doctors.

What is Medi-Cal Managed Care?

A Medi-Cal medical plan is a group of doctors, clinics, specialists, pharmacies, and hospitals.

Medi-Cal beneficiaries can choose one plan for the family or choose a different plan for each family member.

When choosing a Medi-Cal medical plan, Medi-Cal beneficiaries must choose one primary care provider (PCP) for the family or a different PCP for each family member.

Medi-Cal medical plans offer 24-hour member services information lines.

Additionally, they also cover emergencies and urgent care while Medi-Cal beneficiaries are temporarily outside the State of California.

Over 80% of the more than 10.6 million Californians on Medi-Cal are enrolled in a managed care plan.

Currently, a total of 24 health plans contract with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide Medi-Cal managed care services to beneficiaries.

How to join a Medi-Cal health plan

  • You must qualify for Medi-Cal to join a medical plan.
  • To join a medical plan, call Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263. Or you can complete a Medi-Cal Choice Form. You can find the form on the Download forms page.
  • You can use your Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Card (BIC) for services through Regular (Fee-for-Service) Medi-Cal until you are a medical plan member.
  • Health Care Options will send you a letter telling you that your medical plan has changed.
  • Approximately 15 – 45 days after you enroll, your new Health Plan will send you a membership card.
  • Take your medical plan member card and BIC card with you when you get all medical services, including pharmacy, x-rays, and office visits.
  • While you are waiting for the membership card, keep using the doctors and hospitals you use now.

Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Options

Here are the 24 Medi-Cal managed care plans and the counties they serve.

The list is in alphabetical order by plan name.

​Aetna Better Health of California Plan

The ​Aetna Better Health of California plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Sacramento
  • San Diego

Alameda Alliance for Health Plan

The ​Alameda Alliance for Health plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Alameda Alliance for Health

Anthem Blue Cross Partnership Plan

The Anthem Blue Cross Partnership Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Alameda
  • Alpine
  • Amador
  • Butte
  • Calaveras
  • Colusa
  • Contra Costa
  • El Dorado
  • Fresno
  • Glenn
  • Inyo
  • Kings
  • Los Angeles
  • Madera
  • Mariposa
  • Mono
  • Nevada
  • Placer
  • Plumas
  • Sacramento
  • San Benito
  • San Francisco
  • Santa Clara
  • Sierra
  • Sutter
  • Tehama
  • Tulare
  • Tuolumne
  • Yuba

Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan

The Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • San Diego

California Health & Wellness Plan

The California Health & Wellness Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Alpine
  • Amador
  • Butte
  • Calaveras
  • Colusa
  • El Dorado
  • Glenn
  • Inyo
  • Mariposa
  • Mono
  • Nevada
  • Placer
  • Plumas
  • Sierra
  • Sutter
  • Tehama
  • Tuolumne
  • Yuba

CalOptima Plan

The CalOptima Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Orange

CalViva Health Plan

The CalViva Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Fresno
  • Kings
  • Madera

CenCal Health Plan

The CenCal Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • San Luis Obispo
  • Santa Barbara

Central California Alliance for Health Plan

The Central California Alliance for Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Merced
  • Monterey
  • Santa Cruz

Community Health Group Partnership Plan

The Community Health Group Partnership Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • San Diego

Contra Costa Health Plan

The Contra Costa Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Contra Costa

Gold Coast Health Plan

The Gold Coast Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Ventura

​Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. Plan

The ​Health Net Community Solutions Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Kern
  • Los Angeles
  • Sacramento
  • San Diego
  • San Joaquin
  • Stanislaus
  • Tulare

Health Plan of San Joaquin

The ​Health Plan of San Joaquin serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • San Joaquin
  • Stanislaus

Health Plan of San Mateo

The ​Health Plan of San Mateo serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • San Mateo

Inland Empire Health Plan

The ​Inland Empire Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Riverside
  • San Bernardino

Kaiser Permanente Plan

The ​Kaiser Permanente Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Sacramento
  • San Diego

Kern Family Health Care Plan

The ​Kern Family Health Care Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Kern

L. A. Care Health Plan

The ​L. A. Care Health Plan Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Los Angeles

Molina Healthcare of California Partner Plan, Inc.

The ​Molina Healthcare of California Partner Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Imperial
  • Riverside
  • Sacramento
  • San Bernardino
  • San Diego

Partnership Health Plan of California

The ​Partnership Health Plan of California serves Medi-Cal recipients in these northern California counties:

  • Del Norte
  • Humboldt
  • Lake
  • Lassen
  • Marin
  • Mendocino
  • Modoc
  • Napa
  • Shasta
  • Siskiyou
  • Solano
  • Sonoma
  • Trinity
  • Yolo

San Francisco Health Plan

The ​San Francisco Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • San Francisco

Santa Clara Family Health Plan

The ​Santa Clara Family Health Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • Santa Clara

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan

The ​UnitedHealthcare Community Plan serves Medi-Cal recipients in these counties:

  • San Diego

What Medi-Cal Plans Cover

When reviewing Medi-Cal managed care plans, it is important to know what services they are required by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide.

Some providers go beyond the minimum requirements. However, all providers are at least required to provide the minimum benefits listed below.

All Medi-Cal Managed Care Medical plans include:

  • Doctor’s Visits
  • Emergency Services
  • Hospice/Palliative Services
  • Hospitalization
  • Maternity/Newborn Services
  • Mental/Behavioral Health Services
  • Laboratory/Radiology Services
  • Preventative Services
  • Substance Use
  • Pediatric Services
  • Telehealth

Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans by County

For a list of Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans by County, website links, and phone numbers, see our post on California Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans by County.

The list is in alphabetical order. Be sure to scroll down to locate your county of residence and see the Medi-Cal health plans available in your county:

Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Options Summary

We hope this post on Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan Options and enrollment was helpful.

Questions?

If you have further questions about Medi-Cal, please let us know in the comments section below.

Be sure to check out our other articles about Medi-Cal and California Medicaid program, including:

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