The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has put unprecedented focus on Californians’ access to high-quality medical care, the overall health of newly insured populations, and the cost of caring for millions of new Medi-Cal enrollees. Managed care plans and safety-net clinics, key players in the Medi-Cal delivery system, face new opportunities and pressures. Federal and state policy experts are considering numerous initiatives to fulfill the potential of managed care plans to enhance care.

At this CHCF briefing in Sacramento, new research findings were presented that explored:

• The role and importance of safety-net clinics in Medi-Cal
• Medi-Cal plan investments in safety-net clinics as they face new pressures on access and quality
• Perspectives on the future of safety-net delivery systems and Medi-Cal

A panel of health plan and clinic representatives discuss the findings and their implications. The speakers are:

• Sarah Brooks, deputy director of health care delivery systems, California Department of Health Care Services
• Liz Gibboney, MA, chief executive officer, Partnership HealthPlan of California
• Kelly Pfeifer, MD, director of High-Value Care, CHCF
• Abbie Totten, director of Government Programs Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Health Net
• Ana Valdés, MD, chief medical officer, HealthRight 360
• Bobbie Wunsch, partner, Pacific Health Consulting Group

A recording of the event and the presentation slides, as well as a link to the complete report, are available below.