In January 2022, California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and its local partners began the implementation of California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM). DHCS describes CalAIM as “a long-term commitment to transform Medi-Cal, making the program more equitable, coordinated, and person-centered to help people maximize their health and life trajectory.” Using the authority and flexibility provided by two new Medicaid waivers approved by the federal government at the end of 2021, CalAIM seeks to address the upstream factors that contribute to health disparities. This is an ambitious undertaking: Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, provides health insurance for low-income people: in total, over 13 million Californians — one in three — rely on the program for health coverage.
Understanding CalAIM Implementation Across California
UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation
Year: 2024