BLUE CROSS OF CALIFORNIA: Enrolls 500,000th Medi-Cal Member

      Blue Cross of California announced it has enrolled its 500,000th Medi-Cal managed care member, marking the plan's presence in 12 counties and making it the state's largest managed health care plan for Medi-Cal members. John Monahan, Blue Cross' general manager of state sponsored programs, attributes the company's success to its extensive outreach programs, attentive customer service, quality provider network, and ability to provide understandable bilingual and multicultural materials. He said, "The word is out and people are paying attention. Through successful outreach programs, we've been able to knock down barriers to selecting a doctor and accessing care for our members." Regarding a recent finding by the state auditor that identified Blue Cross "as a health plan that exceeds contract requirements," Monhan said, "Blue Cross has been recognized by the state as a health plan that excels in the areas of physician services, well-child care, and asthma management. Our ability to offer our members choice and access to these types of service is now being recognized by the consumer population as well" (9/21).