Gold Coast Health Plan Celebrates 15 Years of Growth and Impact in Serving Ventura County's Medi-Cal Members

Local Medi-Cal plan marks 15 years of connecting Ventura County's most vulnerable residents with high-quality care and services

CAMARILLO, Calif., July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) is celebrating 15 years of providing coordinated care for Ventura County's Medi-Cal members.

On July 1, 2011, GCHP began operations as the sixth County Organized Health System in California, bringing managed care to about 100,000 Medi-Cal members in Ventura County through its network of primary care physicians, specialists, behavioral health providers, and hospitals. Over the years, as Medi-Cal expanded to cover more populations, GCHP's membership more than doubled to a peak of nearly 255,000. With the steady increase in membership, GCHP's staff grew as well, going from 25 employees to more than 400.

"Today, we celebrate our staff, our providers, and our community partners for showing up every day to meet our members where they are in their healthcare journey," said Dr. Felix Nuñez, GCHP's chief executive officer. "Working within a quickly evolving landscape has its challenges, but I'm proud to say that our team and our partners have never lost sight of our mission: To provide high-quality care and services to our members."

GCHP's 15 years of service to Ventura County have been marked by steady growth and increasing impact. According to the state Department of Health Care Services annual quality ratings for Medi-Cal managed care plans, GCHP has ranked among the state's top-performing plans in recent years for connecting more members with vital health screenings and immunizations.

To meet industry best practices, GCHP became dually accredited last year. The health plan first achieved Health Equity Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its commitment to understanding and meeting the diverse needs of its members. GCHP also achieved Health Plan Accreditation from NCQA for demonstrating its dedication to quality improvement and measurement.

In 2025, GCHP also launched a new line of business, Total Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP), which integrates Medi-Cal and Medicare benefits for low-income seniors and people with disabilities in Ventura County.

Over the years, GCHP has invested in its provider and community partners through grants, scholarships, and sponsorships for programs that achieve greater access for members and support the broader community. In the last two years, the Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability & Equity (RISE) grant program has invested more than $13 million in local clinics, hospitals, and community organizations to better serve Medi-Cal members.

"Our provider and community partnerships have been essential to driving improvements in access to care and health outcomes for the people we serve," Nuñez said. "We have done meaningful work together over the years – and that is worth celebrating."

About Gold Coast Health Plan

Gold Coast Health Plan proudly serves nearly 225,000 Medi-Cal members in Ventura County through its network of primary care physicians, specialists, behavioral health providers and hospitals. Since it was founded in 2011, Gold Coast Health Plan has been committed to providing access to high-quality care and improving the health of its members, which include 1 in 3 county residents, 1 in 6 seniors, and 1 in 2 children up to the age of 5. To learn more, visit: www.goldcoasthealthplan.org.

SOURCE Gold Coast Health Plan