Press Release

The CalOptima Board of Directors announces that Michael Schrader, the agency’s Chief Executive Officer has accepted a CEO position with a sister health plan. CalOptima is the single largest health insurer in Orange County providing coverage for one in four residents including programs for low-income children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities.

During the more than seven years that Schrader has been at the helm, the agency has seen tremendous growth in membership, programs and services. In 2014, CalOptima expanded Medi-Cal services to a broader low-income population adding 250,000 additional members. Other significant achievements include the launch of two successful programs for seniors including the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and OneCare Connect. CalOptima has also been recognized by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for outstanding performance by a large-scale Medi-Cal plan for five years. In addition, since 2014, CalOptima has been a top-rated Medi-Cal plan in California according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Ratings.

“The Board sincerely thanks Michael Schrader for his strategic leadership and dedicated commitment to CalOptima members and our providers. During his tenure, the agency has proudly been a top-rated Medi-Cal plan in California for six years running,” said Paul Yost, M.D., Chairman of the CalOptima Board of Directors. “We wish him tremendous success in his future endeavors.”

Schrader will continue in his role for 60 days to ensure a smooth transition. The Board of Directors will be meeting to discuss interim CEO candidates and national recruitment strategy.

A county organized health system, CalOptima provides publicly funded health care coverage for low-income children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities in Orange County, California. CalOptima’s mission is to provide members with access to quality health care services delivered in a cost-effective and compassionate manner. In total, CalOptima serves more than 705,000 members with a network of more than 8,000 primary care doctors and specialists, as well as 40 hospitals.