October 16, 2025
What You Need to Know: Beginning October 15, Californians with both Medicare and Medi-Cal now have expanded access to integrated “Medi-Medi Plans” in 29 additional counties. The expansion nearly quadruples access to these coordinated care plans, which combine Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits into a single program designed to improve care for people with complex medical, behavioral or long-term care needs.
Beginning October 15, Californians with both Medicare and Medi-Cal will have expanded access to enroll in integrated “Medi-Medi Plans” in 29 additional counties. The expansion nearly quadruples access to these coordinated care plans, which combine Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits into a single program designed to improve care for people with complex medical, behavioral or long-term care needs.
As the 2025 Medicare open enrollment period opens, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has announced a major expansion of “Medi-Medi” plans – specialized managed care plans for individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal. Effective January 1, 2026, Medi-Medi plans will be available in 41 counties statewide, up from 12 today. Enrollment for eligible Californians runs from October 15 through December 7, 2025.
The 29 newly added counties are Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Marin, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Placer, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, and Yuba.
These counties join the 12 existing Medi-Medi counties: Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tulare.
According to DHCS, roughly 330,000 Californians are currently enrolled in Medi-Medi plans. The expansion will make coverage available to an additional 461,000 dual-eligible residents. Nearly 1.7 million Californians are dually enrolled in Medicare and Medi-Cal.
About Medi-Medi Plans
Medi-Medi plans are designed for individuals who have both Medicare Parts A and B, are enrolled in Medi-Cal, are age 21 or older, and live in a participating county. These plans integrate services that are typically managed separately by Medicare and Medi-Cal, including:
- Primary and specialty care, hospital services and prescription drugs
- Long-term care, non-emergency medical transportation, and In-Home Supportive Services
- County-administered behavioral health programs
- Community Supports such as homemaker services, home modifications and personal care
Patients also benefit from a single health plan card, unified care coordination and a personalized care plan developed by a multidisciplinary team. Continuity-of-care provisions allow members to keep their existing providers for up to 12 months, even if those providers are not part of the plan’s network.
Eligible Californians can enroll in a Medi-Medi plan during the Medicare open enrollment period (October 15–December 7, 2025). Coverage for new enrollees will begin January 1, 2026.
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