We’re Here to Help You
Should I be screened?
- Screening guidelines
- Benefits of early detection
- Screening health rewards
I received my results. What’s next?
Steps you can take based on your results:
- I don’t have cancer
- I need more testing
- I have cancer
Contact Us
Members can call CalOptima Health Customer Service toll-free at 1-888-587-8088 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. We have staff who speak your language.
About the Program
Our Commitment
In 2023, CalOptima Health launched the Comprehensive Community Cancer Screening and Support program with the goal of lowering late-stage breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer diagnoses in Orange County. To reach this goal, CalOptima Health has partnered with leaders in the fight against cancer to make sure all CalOptima Health members have equitable access to high-quality care by:
- Raising cancer awareness and engagement mainly among high-risk members and county residents
- Increasing member options to access cancer screenings and treatment centers
- Improving member experience throughout their cancer care journey
“Equitable access to quality cancer care for Medi-Cal members is non-negotiable, and Orange County is fortunate to have outstanding resources for cancer prevention and treatment. CalOptima Health is leveraging key cancer centers and activating community opinion leaders to the point where cancer detection is part of our community’s daily discussions.” — Michael Hunn, CEO
Cancer Facts About CalOptima Health Members
In early 2023, 3,718 CalOptima Health members were newly diagnosed with cancer. Of these, 1,426 are these types of cancer:
- 522 breast cancer
- 89 cervical cancer
- 412 colorectal cancer
- 403 lung cancer
About 3 in 5 eligible CalOptima Health members have not been screened for cervical, breast or colorectal cancer. Increasing cancer screenings is key for the early detection and treatment of cancer. It can also help raise life expectancy, quality of life and lower health care costs.
Building the Program
In December 2022, the Comprehensive Community Cancer Screening and Support program was funded through CalOptima Health’s share of Intergovernmental Transfer (IGT) funding of $50.1 million over 5 years. With these funds, CalOptima Health aims to improve cancer awareness, screening access and treatment experience for members through the largest prevention program investment in our health plan history.
In early 2023, CalOptima Health staff facilitated brainstorming sessions with key stakeholders to assess barriers and opportunities for program development. CalOptima Health also surveyed contracted community health centers to learn about their mammography screening capacity and on-site mammography equipment access.
In May 2023, CalOptima Health partnered with City of Hope in Orange County. These efforts leveraged many key member benefits to ease barriers to cancer screenings such as:
- Using trained health educators for direct outreach to members
- Scheduling transportation to screening centers
- Communicating with providers when members needed more diagnostic screening services
In 2024, CalOptima Health started a comprehensive awareness and education campaign that focuses on members, community and providers. CalOptima Health also awarded funding to support local organizations that aim to increase access to cancer screenings and improve the cancer treatment experience.