Medi-Cal plans have seen vaccination rates grow anywhere from 2 to 12 percentage points between August and April. Rates include members 12 and older with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine
who have been vaccinated and boosted, according to the state’s public health department.
The incentive program has now ended, and the state’s Department of Health Care Services is still analyzing data provided by the health plans to determine whether targets were met. “Final performance and financial data for the current program will be evaluated before considering whether a follow-up future program would be helpful,” Carol Sloan, a department spokesperson, said in an email.
Some plans increased the number of vaccination events — one even hired an event planner to redesign its pop-up clinics, bringing in balloon artists and bubblegum machines in hopes of attracting more people. Plans have offered Medi-Cal members gift cards and free days at a local museum in exchange for a vaccine. They’veon social media campaigns and partnered with local organizations like churches to set up clinics in zip codes with the lowest Covid vaccination rates.
Still, despite the ongoing efforts and an improvement of about 8 percentage points since August, less than half of Inland Empire Health’s members 12 and older have received a shot.