2026-2030 Strategic Plan
The CenCal Health 2026-2030 Strategic Plan outlines the organization’s vision and strategies to advance health equity, quality, and community partnerships in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The plan aims to guide CenCal Health’s efforts in addressing the evolving needs of Medi-Cal members, expanding its service role, and ensuring long-term sustainability through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.
Our Priorities:
Strengthen Provider Partnerships
Given the Medicaid policy landscape, and the impacts of federal legislation (HR-1), CenCal Health will take a larger role in leveraging healthcare funding opportunities to support and stabilize the provider network on the Central Coast. This will take the form of community reinvestment, investments in provider workforce needs, and access to care improvements. Collaborating with county partners will also necessitate integrating services across justice, behavioral wellness and homeless systems of care to serve the most vulnerable. Specifically, CenCal Health will invest in behavioral health prevention, support improvements in local mild to moderate provider access, and pilot community-based models to enhance the behavioral health care continuum in partnership with county mental health plans.
Objective 1
Leverage health care funding opportunities to support and stabilize providers
Objective 2
Collaborate with Counties to integrate service across justice, behavioral wellness and homeless systems
Objective 3
Integrate the behavioral health care continuum by leveraging community-based models
Elevate Quality for Our Communities
Over the next five years, CenCal Health will take steps to meet and exceed Medi-Cal quality requirements and expectations, including maintaining National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accreditation status, advancing the new Medi-Cal Population Health Management (PHM) requirements, and expanding quality strategies as a top-quality performer among Medi-Cal health plans. In addition to facilitating conversations on health equity in our communities, CenCal Health will also scale quality capabilities and strategies, advance the Quality Care Incentive Program (QCIP) for providers and increase prevention to improve pediatric healthcare measures. We will focus on supporting health for families, children and seniors. In addition to healthcare quality, customer experience is equally important. CenCal Health will focus on strategies to improve the experience members have of their healthcare on the Central Coast.
Objective 1
Increase prevention to reduce health disparities in our populations
Objective 2
Scale quality improvement system to exceed quality of care standards and expectations
Objective 3
Exceed customer experience standards and expectations to promote equity
Integrate for Better Outcomes
To meet the evolving goals of Medi-Cal as a whole person care program with significant focus on quality and health equity for all, CenCal Health seeks to serve as a partner with health and social service organizations, facilitator of community integration and coordination, and leader in understanding and addressing the need for better outcomes. As a primary commitment, CenCal Health will embrace its role as a convener, facilitator, and humble partner with other health providers, social service leaders and government agencies to advance a coordinated approach, maintain a shared understanding of the Medi-Cal health care landscape, and ensure that local issues and interests are represented in statewide policy discussions. CenCal Health will act as a liaison, educator and advocate for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County Medi-Cal enrollees and safety-net health priorities at the local and statewide levels. This will take a few forms, including strengthening programs to effectively address the social determinants of health, advance value-based payment to align incentives, improve outcomes and support provider sustainability and optimize CenCal CareConnect, our Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan (DSNP) for the most vulnerable so that the Medi-Cal and Medicare benefits work together to support dually-eligible members in their healthcare journey.
Objective 1
Strengthen programs to effectively address social determinants of health
Objective 2
Advance value-based payments to align incentives, improve quality and support provider sustainability
Objective 3
Optimize Dual Special Needs Program to standardize best practices
Advance Affordable Access
Within rapid changes in our federal and state environment, CenCal Health will actively explore how we can develop affordable healthcare options for community members who may no longer be eligible for – or who cannot afford – available health insurance options. We will partner with local leaders focused on Medi-Cal policy to meet the evolving needs of our community and position CenCal Health as a strong and enduring partner in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. This includes closely evaluating the need, expectation and potential impact of providing additional coverage options in partnership with our counties, participating on the healthcare exchange in Covered CA, or offering a Medicare Advantage Plan. More immediately, CenCal Health will play a key role in local collaboration to educate members on eligibility changes, work requirements, and redetermination. Ensuring financial sustainability is a dual objective, with CenCal Health maintaining strong financial reserves and operations.
Objective 1
Cultivate partnerships to facilitate eligibility, access and coverage solutions
Objective 2
Develop affordable coverage options for community members
Objective 3
Ensure financial performance in rapidly evolving environment