April 5, 2023

In This Issue

CalOptima Health News

Medi-Cal Renewal Toolkit is Now Available


PACE Senior Health and Wellness Event


Warn Members About Door-To-Door Scams


Thanking Our Community’s Providers 


New Senior Director, Government Affairs Joins CalOptima Health 


OC Leaders Promote Access to Healthy Food 


LARC Forum Addresses Recuperative Care


COVID-19 News

Local Health Officer Order Update 



Community News

Cold Weather Shelter Now Closed


Community Suicide Prevention Initiative

Children Wearing Bunny Ears Enjoying Outdoor Easter Party In Garden At Home
CalOptima Health News

Medi-Cal Renewal Toolkit is Now Available

CalOptima Health launched a communications toolkit for community partners to share key messages about Medi-Cal renewal. The toolkit includes information and resources you can share with Medi-Cal members and community stakeholders through your communication channels and social media pages, including: 


  • Brandable flyers and posters 
  • Social media messages and graphics 
  • FAQs 
  • Newsletter articles 
  • Text messages 


The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) started renewing members’ Medi-Cal on April 1. To avoid gaps in coverage, members should report any changes to their name, mailing address, email address and phone number, so SSA can contact them. Members will either get a letter saying they were renewed automatically or a renewal form in a yellow envelope. If they receive a renewal form, they must submit their information within 60 days online, by phone, in person or by mail (renewal will be sent based on the month they first enrolled in Medi-Cal). Encourage members to take action to keep their Medi-Cal by creating a Medi-Cal account at MyBenefitsCalWIN.org or calling SSA at 1-800-281-9799.

PACE Senior Health and Wellness Event

Join CalOptima Health's Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) for a senior health and wellness event on Saturday, April 15, from 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m., at our PACE center in Garden Grove. The event will provide information about the PACE program and offer facility tours to prospective participants and their families.

Warn Members About Door-to-Door Scams

CalOptima Health has received numerous reports from our members about unauthorized solicitations at their apartments and homes. According to these reports, individuals are misrepresenting themselves as CalOptima Health employees in association with free wireless phones. In addition, they may request to see CalOptima Health ID cards and drivers’ licenses as well as obtain other personal information, such as a partial Social Security number. We advise members to exercise caution and not share personal information with solicitors. 


If a member provided their CalOptima Health ID to an unauthorized person, CalOptima Health urges them to call our Customer Service team toll-free at 1-888-587-8088 to request that a security passcode be placed on their account. They can also request to verify their CalOptima Health account activities and review their Protected Health Information. Members can report fraud by calling our Compliance and Ethics Hotline at 1-855-507-1805. 

Happy Doctors' Day to Our Nearly 10,000 Providers

In recognition of Doctors' Day, CalOptima Health thanks our 12 provider networks, with nearly 1,500 primary care providers and more than 8,000 specialists under contract, for their immeasurable impact on our members’ lives. “Without you, there would be no CalOptima Health, pure and simple,” said CalOptima Health Chief Medical Officer Richard Pitts, D.O., Ph.D., in a video message posted to our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn social media pages in recognition of Doctors' Day on March 30. “We are eternally grateful for your partnership, expertise and collaboration.” 

New Senior Director, Government Affairs Joins CalOptima Health 

Jordan Abushawish is the new Senior Director, Government Affairs at CalOptima Health, tasked with expanding our engagement with federal and local elected offices and agencies to ensure CalOptima Health’s voice is heard on key policy issues affecting our members, providers and community. He brings more than 15 years of experience in representing health care organizations with a focus on legislative strategy, policy development and government relations. Most recently, he was Director of Government and Public Affairs at Providence Health and Services in Irvine. Prior to that, he was Director of the Government Relations department for North American Spine Society, based in Washington, D.C. and working remotely in San Diego for the last two years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Riverside and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree from Pepperdine University. 

OC Leaders

From left: CalOptima Health Chief Executive Officer Michael Hunn; Chief Operating Officer Yunkyung Kim; An Tran, Director of the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA); and Clayton Chau, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA)


On March 25, CalOptima Health Chief Executive Officer Michael Hunn and Chief Operating Officer Yunkyung Kim attended a Community Resource and Health Fair at Centennial Park in Santa Ana, organized by Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento and the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA). The event promoted access to healthy food while raising the community’s awareness of the end of CalFresh Emergency Allotments beginning at the start of April, after the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). More than 1000 attending families and community members had the opportunity to apply for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKS and other programs, as well as connect with eligibility specialists, community-based organizations and food distribution.

LARC Learning Network Forum Addresses Recuperative Care

From left: Illumination Foundation Vice President of Health Care Services Jessica Chalmers, CalOptima Health Executive Director, Medi-Cal/CalAIM Kelly Bruno-Nelson; Illumination Foundation Co-CEO Pooja Bhalla; CEO of National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) and National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) Bobby Watts; NHCHC and NIMRC Director of Medical Respite Julia Dobbins; Los Angeles Recuperative Care (LARC) Learning Network Facilitator Pam Mokler; and CalOptima Health Director, CalAIM Danielle Cameron.


On March 23, CalOptima Health Executive Director of Medi-Cal/CalAIM Kelly Bruno-Nelson gathered with recuperative care providers, hospital administrators and other health care leaders for the Los Angeles Recuperative Care (LARC) Learning Network Forum. She joined a discussion panel with Illumination Foundation Co-CEO Pooja Bhalla and shared about CalOptima Health’s innovations around recuperative care through California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM). Hosted by the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) and the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) on behalf of the National Health Foundation (NHFCA), the event aimed to promote successful partnerships between local managed care plans and recuperative care providers.  

COVID-19 Update

Local Health Officer Order Update

Asian businessman wear face mask attach reopen sign at office after lockdown due to coronavirus covid-19_ business new normal and social distancing concept

As the California COVID-19 State of Emergency ends and the community returns to business as usual, County Health Officer Dr. Chinsio-Kwong is asking Orange County residents to comply and observe requests to mask if asked in high-risk settings, such as medical provider offices and/or adult and senior care facilities. Staff or patient circumstances may indicate masking is necessary to stay safe from potential exposure in some settings.

Community News

Cold Weather Shelter Now Closed

As of March 31, the County of Orange's Cold Weather Emergency Shelter operation has ended for the season. For details, contact the Orange County Cold Weather Shelter at 657-520-9185.

Community Suicide Prevention Initiative

Join the Community Suicide Prevention Initiative for a virtual forum taking place Saturday, April 8, from 9-10:30 a.m. Registration is required.

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