Our history
Santa Clara Family Health Plan enrolled its first member in February 1997. We continue to strive each day to provide consistently high-quality healthcare to the people of Santa Clara County.
Below is a timeline highlighting some of our accomplishments over the years:
1993: The California Department of Health Services releases its final draft of Expanding Medi-Cal Managed Care: Reforming the Health Systems; Protecting Vulnerable Populations. It announces plans to shift most Medi-Cal recipients from fee-for-service to managed care health insurance programs and establishes the Two Plan Model. Medi-Cal recipients would be able to choose between two health plans: a commercial plan and a not-for-profit (community-based) plan. The plan also outlines the goals and objectives of the Medi-Cal Two Plan Model:
- Expand choices of doctors and medical providers
- Improve access to preventive and primary care services
- Ensure quality of care
- Preserve the healthcare safety net
1995: The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors establishes the Santa Clara County Health Authority. This new public agency, distinct from the county, is given the mission to develop a community-based health plan –– Santa Clara Family Health Plan –– to provide coverage to Medi-Cal Managed Care recipients.
1996: Santa Clara County Health Authority is licensed by the State of California as a Knox-Keene health plan.
1997: Santa Clara Family Health Plan (SCFHP) begins operations, with enrollment reaching 30,000 in the first year.
1998: SCFHP launches the Healthy Families Program for uninsured children in working families who do not qualify for Medi-Cal.
1998: SCFHP receives the Leadership Award from Local Health Plans of California.
1999: SCFHP receives the SmithKline Beecham Health Partnership Award in recognition of the health plan's success in improving access to quality healthcare for low-income families.
2000: SCFHP establishes the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation to raise funds for such programs and projects as the Children's Health Initiative and Healthy Kids Program.
2001: In partnership with community leaders, SCFHP helps create the country's first Children's Health Initiative, a countywide community outreach to identify uninsured children and enroll them into subsidized health coverage, and launches the Healthy Kids Program to provide health coverage for children from low-income families who do not qualify for Medi-Cal or the Healthy Families Program.
2001: SCFHP receives the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council COPE Award and recognition for "Innovations in Health Care" from Advanced Business Leadership.
2003: SCFHP receives award from the National Hispanic Medical Association.
2004: SCFHP receives the Ellis Bonner Community Leadership Award from the American Association of Health Plans.
2007: SCFHP launches Healthy Generations, a Medicare Advantage Special Needs plan.
2007: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., issues the results of a four-year evaluation of the Healthy Kids Program, showing significant positive impact on children's health, school attendance, and parents' well-being due to their children having health coverage.
2007: SCFHP total membership grows to over 100,000.
2010: In partnership with community leaders, SCFHP launches Healthy Workers, a Santa Clara County pilot program to make affordable health coverage available for small businesses with lower-wage employees.
2011: SCFHP welcomes more seniors and persons with disabilities, as those with Medi-Cal are now required to enroll in managed care.
2012: SCFHP is selected to participate in California's Coordinated Care Initiative.
2012: Santa Clara County residents approve Measure A, providing funding for the Healthy Kids Program.
2013: SCFHP total membership crosses 150,000.
2013: Santa Clara Family Health Foundation becomes an independent organization.
2014: SCFHP welcomes adults enrolled in Valley Care, Santa Clara County's Low Income Health Plan (LIHP), as LIHP members transition to Medi-Cal as part of the Affordable Care Act's Medi-Cal Expansion.
2014: SCFHP incorporates long-term services and supports into its Medi-Cal managed care plan as part of California's Coordinated Care Initiative.
2014: SCFHP earns certification from Benchmark Portal as a Center of Excellence, one of the most prestigious awards in the customer service and support industry.
2015: SCFHP launches Cal MediConnect, a part of California's Coordinated Care Initiative, to better serve people in Santa Clara County who are eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal.
2015: SCFHP is named by Benchmark Portal as one of the top 50 small call centers in North America.
2015: SCFHP total membership grows to over 250,000 members.
2015: SCFHP receives the California Department of Health Care Services 2015 Outstanding Performance Award for achievements in the improvement of healthcare quality and population health.
2016: SCFHP expands Medi-Cal coverage to children regardless of their immigration status.
2017: SCFHP celebrates its 20th anniversary. The health plan enrolled its first Medi-Cal members on February 1, 1997. Read our anniversary report.
2017: SCFHP receives the 2017 award for Greatest Improvement in Quality Strategy Focus Areas from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
2017: SCFHP is awarded an accreditation status of "Interim" for its Cal MediConnect line of business by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
2019: SCFHP received three-year NCQA Accreditation status of Accredited for SCFHP's Cal MediConnect (Medicare-Medicaid Plan) line of business from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
2019: SCFHP launched Health Homes, a new program for eligible Medi-Cal enrollees with multiple chronic conditions. The SCFHP Health Homes Program helps members coordinate their healthcare services and links them to community-based organizations that can help them with other needs, such as food and housing.
2019: SCFHP celebrates the state’s move of children enrolled in the Healthy Kids County Children’s Health Insurance Program (CCHIP) into the Medi-Cal benefits delivery system. With this, all children in Santa Clara County in families with income under 300% of the Federal Poverty Level, regardless of immigration status, now have access to health care coverage through Medi-Cal, and no longer need the Healthy Kids safety net. The Healthy Kids program closed on January 1, 2020.
2020: SCFHP expands Medi-Cal coverage to young adults aged 19-25, regardless of immigration status.
2021: SCFHP opens the Blanca Alvarado Community Resource Center (CRC) in East San Jose expanding access to needed resources where the majority of our members reside.
2021: SCFHP updates its mission, vision, and values to honor its commitment to Health for All.
2022: SCFHP starts implementing the state’s California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program to transform Medi-Cal. CalAIM seeks to offer Californians a more equitable, coordinated, and person-centered approach to maximizing their health and life trajectory.
2022: SCFHP expands Medi-Cal coverage to adults aged 50 and over, regardless of immigration status, thanks to a new state law. SCFHP’s total enrollment reaches more than 300,000 members for the first time.
2022: SCFHP celebrates its 25th anniversary, continuing its vision of health for all.
2023: SCFHP Cal MediConnect Plan changes to SCFHP DualConnect (HMO D-SNP) on January 1, 2023