CenCal Health achieves national recognition from healthcare’s top performance measurement organization
for commitment to high-quality care
CenCal Health, the Medi-Cal managed care plan for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, announced that it has received accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its Medi-Cal (Medicaid HMO) program on the Central Coast. By successfully demonstrating its commitment to high-quality healthcare, operational efficiency and member experience, CenCal Health earned accreditation for its quality of managed care operations.
“Our 3-year pursuit of this designation is aligned with CenCal Health’s strategic plan and was a priority to support the best outcomes for our members through improvements to our health plan operations and care delivery systems,” said Marina Owen, CenCal Health CEO. “With this accomplishment, our local health plan has further invested in the health and well-being of more than 240,000 children, adults and seniors we serve.”
NCQA is an independent, nonprofit organization that assesses and reports on the quality of managed care plans and other health-related programs. NCQA’s Health Plan Accreditation program provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating health plan quality. Accreditation by NCQA helps support the objectives of managed care plans like CenCal Health – to keep members at optimal levels of health while also controlling costs and meeting government requirements.
Leading the accreditation process at the managed care plan was Carlos Hernandez, CenCal Health Chief Quality Officer. “The NCQA Health Plan Accreditation experience proved the most rigorous and comprehensive independent assessment that CenCal Health has ever undertaken. The survey readiness experience transformed our operational processes to further standardize best practices, plan-wide,” Hernandez said. “And though we have successfully achieved our initial goal of health plan accreditation, we are committed to continual accreditation readiness for the future.”
CenCal Health is the first Medicaid managed care plan of its kind in the nation, founded in Santa Barbara in 1983. It provides Medicaid coverage – known as Medi-Cal in California – to low-income individuals and families in its two-county coverage area. In Santa Barbara County, one in three residents are CenCal Health plan members, while in San Luis Obispo County, one in four residents are members. Over 35% of the local health plan’s membership are children and teens.
“I am grateful to our hardworking staff, our Board of Directors and our healthcare partners for their unwavering commitment to high-quality care,” said Owen. “Ensuring the best experience for our members on the Central Coast continues to be a driving force for all of us.”
More information on CenCal Health is available at cencalhealth.org.
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About NCQA
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA Accredits and Certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes clinicians in key clinical areas. NCQA’s HEDIS® is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s website (https://www.ncqa.org/) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make informed health care choices.
About CenCal Health
CenCal Health is the local Medi-Cal health plan that partners with over 1,800 physicians, plus hospitals, clinics and other providers, in delivering health care services to more than 240,000 members in its two-county service area – one in three residents of Santa Barbara County and one in four residents of San Luis Obispo County. Marking four decades of serving the most vulnerable, CenCal Health prioritizes cultivating community partnerships; advancing quality and health equity; expanding its service role and reach in the community; and organizing for impact and effectiveness. With a vision to be a trusted leader in advancing health equity so that the communities we serve thrive and achieve optimal health, CenCal Health invites the public to review its 2025 Community Report at CenCal2025.org
Media Contact: Sheri Mobley (213) 509-9816 sheri@seamlesspr.com
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