Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and
Community Supports are foundational parts of the transformation of Medi-Cal focused on:
-
Breaking down the traditional walls of health care, extending beyond hospitals and health care settings into communities;
- Introducing
a better way to coordinate care; and
- Providing
high-need members with in-person care management where they live.
What this change means for Californians
ECM is a new statewide Medi-Cal benefit available to eligible members with complex needs, including:
- Access to a single Lead Care Manager who provides
comprehensive care management and coordinates their health and health-related care and services.
Connections to the quality care they need,
no matter where members seek care—at the doctor, the dentist, with a social worker, or at a community center.
Reference the ECM Provider Toolkit to help you navigate this new benefit for your patients.
Community Supports are services that help address members’ health-related social needs, help them live healthier lives, and avoid higher, costlier levels of care. These include:
- Support to
secure and maintain housing.
- Access to
medically tailored meals to support short term recovery.
- A variety of other community-based services.
These services are available to eligible Medi-Cal members regardless of whether they qualify for ECM services. All Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCPs) are encouraged to offer as many of the 14 pre-approved Community Supports as possible.
