Call for Bold Ideas to Strengthen and Preserve Medi-Cal

We encourage idea submissions from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Don’t self-select out — we want to hear bold ideas from practitioners, researchers, community leaders, and others with lived experience. Teams can submit together, coauthor concept briefs and full papers, and share in the award.

• New frameworks for state-federal partnerships in financing and administering Medi-Cal

• Innovative models for state-county collaboration on financing, eligibility and enrollment, and behavioral health services

• Alternative approaches to financing the state share of Medi-Cal

• Transformative reforms to Medi-Cal managed care, including greater alignment across Medi-Cal, Covered California, and CalPERS

• New managed care structures that better serve members with complex health and behavioral health needs

• Innovative payment methodologies that improve access and quality of care
• Other transformative ideas that could fundamentally strengthen Medi-Cal and improve outcomes for members

The time horizon for the bold ideas is 5–10 years; they should not be constrained by the politics of what is possible within the next 3–5 years.

Applicants should assume that federal Medicaid law — including H.R. 1 limits on provider and plan taxes — remains intact. New federal regulations and state flexibility within Medicaid’s basic existing legal framework are encouraged.

We seek ideas that will benefit Medi-Cal members and for which the state has some authority and appreciate that many bold ideas will also require federal approval. Conversely, ideas for which states would have no authority (e.g., Medicare for all or a new national long-term care program) are unlikely to be selected.

Anyone is invited to submit a concept brief of their bold idea. The concept brief should be no more than two pages long and should include the following information:

1. The author. What are your name, title, organizational affiliation (if applicable), and email address? If the paper would be coauthored, please limit to two names.

2. The idea. What is your bold idea? What would it change? Who would have to enact or adopt and then implement?

3. The problem being addressed. What problems or challenges in Medi-Cal would this idea address? Why is this problem important to address? What new opportunities would this idea create?

4. The benefits. How would this idea benefit the Medi-Cal program and the people it serves? Are there specific populations that would benefit from this idea?

5. The viability. What makes you think this idea is or could be financially and politically viable? Does this idea exist in the world (e.g. in another state Medicaid program, in the commercial market, in another country) or would it be novel? Which if any organizations have endorsed this idea?

6. Your qualifications. What are your qualifications to write on this topic? If you have published on this topic before, please provide links to these publications.

Permissions. Do you give permission to CHCF to have your idea or submission (parts 1–5) posted online and provided to the commission even if you are not invited to submit a paper? (Please answer yes or no. Elaborate if you’d like. Your answer will not factor into the selection process.)

Anyone is invited to submit a concept brief of their bold idea. The concept brief should be no more than two pages long and CHCF will choose up to five concept briefs to be developed into full papers. Those selected will be awarded a fixed fee grant from CHCF of $50,000, divided into three payments contingent upon approved deliverables.

Those selected should expect to:

• Submit a one-page outline

• Submit a first complete draft of 8–12 pages (including figure notes and endnotes)
• Participate in up to three rounds of review and revisions

Selection criteria include the perceived boldness of the idea, the impact it could have on the Medi-Cal program and people it serves, the perceived viability of the idea, and the author’s qualifications.