CenCal Health, the largest health plan on the Central Coast, produces an annual community report, but the 2020 digital report is unique. COVID-19 brought unimagined challenges to the health plan’s members, providers, employees, and the community at large.

The just-published yearly overview presents updated facts and figures on membership and patient care, as well as highlighting innovative health programs and initiatives that responded to the public health emergency. Through video and still photography, the report also paints a picture of quickly emptied offices that gave rise to makeshift desks and video meetings at the homes of CenCal Health employees.

Though the workplace changed, the work continued for the Medi-Cal health plan that contributes some $50 million a month to the local economy. CenCal Health had no wholesale layoffs, and few furloughs were necessary among its 263 employees.

“The 2020 Community Report reflects a key component of CenCal Health’s resiliency — maintaining responsive relationships with the people we serve,” said Bob Freeman, CenCal Health CEO. “Each section of the report highlights our commitment to members, providers, and the community.

“For example, we included statistics on our members’ telemedicine visits, PPE donations to providers, and COVID-care items distributed both in and out of our network, including individuals experiencing homelessness.”

In 2020, CenCal Health:

» Membership grew by 22,046 to a total membership of 193,732, combining San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Local members covered through the Affordable Care Act totaled 54, 813.

» Providers conducted 75,961 telemedicine visits with Medi-Cal enrolled-members in the two counties served.

» Procured more than $300,00 worth of pulse oximeters and PPE — 100,000 gloves, 100,000 masks and 20,000 gowns — for its provider partners during the first few months of the pandemic. The health plan also distributed 2,000 oximeters, 2,500 hand sanitizers, and 1,180 antiseptic wipe packets for local individuals in need.

By April, child vaccination rates in the region had plummeted, along with significant drops in cancer screenings, check-ups and other preventive care.

CenCal Health launched a campaign called Welcome Back to Care, a series of English and Spanish public service announcements and TV ads that addressed the community’s fears, supported local physicians, and let those who had lost jobs, along with their health insurance, know there was a health plan option for them.

This was one of several pivots by the organization to communicate effectively with its membership and providers during the 2020 public health crisis.

COVID-19 had a significant adverse impact on health care finances, both locally and at the state level in 2020. At the state level, California’s budget went from a projected multi-billion-dollar surplus to a $55 billion deficit. This triggered 1.5% revenue reductions for Medi-Cal managed care plans, including CenCal Health, retroactive to July 2019.

Furthermore, the state plans to implement additional revenue reductions to Medi-Cal plans in the 2020-21 fiscal year.

With strong financial reserves, CenCal Health absorbed these reductions without negatively affecting provider reimbursement levels. The health plan also gives credit to its provider partners who worked with the agency as it navigated through this year of revenue reductions. 

“Throughout our organization’s 37 years, we’ve always focused on evolving to meet challenges,” said Freeman. “Our resiliency was tested this year like no other.”

View the CenCal Health 2020 Community Report at cencal2020.org. More on CenCal Health is at cencalhealth.org.