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DocuSign Envelope ID: F6C450FD-9543-4698-88A0-4C8C51123985 <br />0 CalOptima <br />February 7, 2023 <br />Mayor and City Council <br />City of Santa Ana <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />Dear Mayor and Council Members: <br />Health <br />CalOptima Health <br />A Public Agency <br />505 City Parkway West <br />Orange, CA 92868 <br />9 714-246-8400 <br />® TTY:711 <br />(j7 caloptima.org <br />I write to you today to share CalOptima Health's insights about the role of Community Health Centers <br />(CHCs) in Santa Ana and the broader community. CalOptima Health is the county -organized health <br />system providing health care benefits to the nearly 950,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries living in Orange <br />County — including 53% of Santa Ana residents. As the sole managed care plan serving low-income <br />individuals and families in the community, CalOptima Health relies on a robust network of safety net <br />providers, including CHCs, to serve the needs of our most vulnerable populations. <br />CHCs play a critically important role in providing direct primary care services to low-income <br />individuals who otherwise struggle to have access to quality health care. CHCs, like Share Our Selves, <br />specifically operate as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in areas designated by the federal <br />government as having inadequate primary care services for low-income individuals who live at or below <br />200% of the Federal Poverty Level. In consideration of federal funding, FQHCs must commit to serve <br />all persons regardless of insurance status or ability to pay and are subject to strict oversight by the U.S. <br />Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration <br />(HRSA) concerning the scope and quality of services provided to the communities they serve. FQHCs <br />also serve the greater health care community by offering an alternative to emergency rooms that <br />otherwise frequently become the provider of last resort. <br />Communities like Santa Ana that are fortunate with CHCs will find that they are a critical and reliable <br />partner in improving community health care access and the lives of those they serve. Any proposed <br />ordinance that impedes CHCs' ability to effectively operate or expand services in the City of Santa Ana <br />to meet the needs of the community will negatively impact the health and well-being of its residents. <br />Sincerely, <br />EOocuSigned by: <br />000ccet <br />Michael Hunn <br />Chief Executive Officer <br />