Enhanced Care Management, Community Supports, and Incentive Payments
Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports, or In Lieu of Services (ILOS), are foundational components of CalAIM. ECM will be a whole-person, interdisciplinary approach to comprehensive care management that addresses the clinical and non-clinical needs of high-cost, high-need managed care members through systematic coordination of services that is community-based, interdisciplinary, high-touch, and person-centered. Community Supports are medically appropriate and cost-effective alternatives to services covered under the State Plan. Community Supports are optional services for Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCPs) to provide and are optional for managed care members.
ECM and Community Supports (ILOS) are ambitious reforms with implementation beginning in January 2022. This landing page will serve as the centralized repository for the most up-to-date information about ECM and Community Supports. Please submit questions about ECM and Community Supports to: CalAIMECMILOS@dhcs.ca.gov
Important Update:
On September 29, 2021, DHCS released its National Provider Identifier (NPI) Application Guidance. This guidance contains helpful instructions for providers participating in ECM and Community Supports on how to obtain a National Provider Identifier (NPI). MCPs may use this document as a guide for communicating with their contracted ECM and Community Supports providers on how to obtain an NPI and may integrate this information into their own training programs and/or modify this document as appropriate for their audience. ECM and Community Supports provider organizations must have an NPI in order to receive payment for the delivery of ECM and or Community Supports services.
On September 9, 2021, DHCS released its ECM Policy Guide and ILOS Policy Guide, providing a comprehensive overview of ECM and Community Supports (ILOS) as well as additional operational guidance for MCPs as they prepare to offer ECM and Community Supports beginning in 2022. The Policy Guides are intended to serve as a resource for MCPs preparing to offer ECM and Community Supports, as well as for other key stakeholders involved in ECM and Community Supports, such as providers, counties, and community-based organizations. Updates will be published as needed.
On September 1, 2021, DHCS released its ECM and Community Supports (ILOS) Incentive Payment Program draft documents for review and comment. The draft documents, which can be found below in the "Resources" section, include the All Plan Letter and the Medi-Cal managed care plan (MCP) Reporting Templates. The Reporting Templates detail the required measures that MCPs would need to complete should they choose to participate in the incentive payment program.
On August 27, 2021, DHCS released the Non-Binding ILOS Pricing Guidance, offering information on potential rates for each of the fourteen (14) pre-approved Community Supports (ILOS), including midpoint benchmarks, a range around the benchmarks, and a discussion of key cost drivers for MCPs and Community Supports Providers to consider as they establish their own contracting and payment arrangements. Also released was the California ILOS Evidence Base Executive Summary, which summarizes select highlights and key findings of DHCS’ research on the measurable impacts Community Supports (ILOS) may have on health care costs, utilization, and health outcomes.
DHCS has released finalized requirements documents and additional supporting resources for the Enhanced Care Management (ECM) benefit and Community Supports (ILOS), available below.
Please note that DHCS will incorporate the provisions in the DHCS-MCP ECM and ILOS Contract Template below as an attachment to existing MCP Contracts. These provisions will also be included as part of the 2024 Request for Proposal (RFP)/Main Contract.