On March 3, CalOptima’s Board of Directors appointed Michael Hunn as permanent CEO, effective immediately. Hunn started at CalOptima as interim CEO in November 2021, bringing nearly 25 years of experience and leadership in the health care industry to the agency.

“Each and every one of our members is counting on us to be champions for their health,” said Hunn. “I’m honored to be given the opportunity to serve them and be held accountable for ensuring we get it right each and every time.”

Read about Hunn’s background here.

CalOptima’s Board recently approved a $2 million campaign to address food insecurity among CalOptima members through the CalFresh program. The campaign includes contacting eligible members by mail, phone and text message; holding community events at grocery stores and community organizations; and working with the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) to streamline the CalFresh enrollment process.

CalFresh provides monthly food benefits of up to $250 for low-income individuals and up to $835 for a family of four.* Nearly 344,000 CalOptima members may be eligible for CalFresh but are not enrolled. CalOptima encourages staff and community partners to promote CalFresh with members who could benefit. *Eligibility requirements apply, and benefit amounts vary. Enrollment in CalFresh won’t impact immigration status.

The virtual InfoSeries: A Local and National Snapshot on Homelessness will take place on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 from 1:30-3 p.m. Click here to register for the event.

The event will provide a presentation by Orange County United Way on the United to End Homelessness℠ initiative. It will also give attendees the opportunity to learn about solutions to address homelessness, dispel commonly held myths about the homeless population, CalAIM and services that support members experiencing homelessness.

·      Member Advisory Committee (must be a

....CalOptima Medi-Cal member)

·      Provider Advisory Committee

·      Whole-Child Model Family Advisory

....Committee

Contact CalOptima Program Manager Cheryl Simmons at csimmons@caloptima.org or call 714-347-5785 for more information. Learn more about each committee and apply here.

· 2nd Saturday of March and April (3/12 and 4/9) — Building 95 (MPR 100) 15751 Gothard St.,

...Huntington Beach

· 3rd Saturday of March and April (3/19 and 4/16) — St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church, 1450

...E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim

· 4th Saturday of March and April (3/26 and 4/23) — County of Orange Social Services Agency

..Central Regional Office, 2020 W. Walnut St., Santa Ana

Vaccine event flyers are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Register at 1-714-834-2000 or www.othena.com. CalOptima Medi-Cal members can arrange transportation at 1-888-587-8088.

As of March 1, masks are no longer required for unvaccinated individuals, but are strongly recommended for all individuals in most indoor settings. Masks are still required for everyone in high transmission settings, such as public transit, emergency shelters, health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and long-term care facilities.

For K-12 schools and childcare facilities after March 11, masks will no longer be required but will be strongly recommended. Click here to read the state’s full guidance.

At the start of the pandemic, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) extended the timeframe for Medi-Cal members to request State Hearings when a treatment is denied from 90 days to 210 days. On April 16, 2022, the extended timeframe of 210 days to submit a State Hearing request will end and the timeframe will go back to 90 days from the date on your Notice of Action. Click here to learn more.

Smile, California is hosting two Facebook Live presentations for Medi-Cal members in March 2022 at 1 p.m. — one in English on March 10 and one in Spanish on March 11. The presentation will discuss the Medi-Cal dental benefit and answer questions from members and the community.

The Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit are substancial tax refund payments that people can receive when they file a tax return. The 2021 American Rescue Plan expanded who can receive these payments and increased the amount of money available to many families and individuals. Visit ChildTaxCredit.gov to learn more on how to get the Child Tax Credit and/or Earned Income Tax Credit.

CalOptima Customer Service remains ready to respond to member needs as we adhere to guidelines to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. Our building is closed to visitors. Members can call Customer Service from the safety of their home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have staff who speak their language. Members can also visit www.caloptima.org and access their member portal.