A Boost for Local Health Care
In 2025, CenCal Health’s Quality Care Incentive Program (QCIP) distributed over $16 million in financial incentives to 95 primary care providers (PCPs) across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The funding aims to reward improvements in key clinical services, strengthen primary care, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes in the region.
Program Goals and How It Works
QCIP is designed to promote high-quality health care by tying payments to performance in clinical areas such as diabetes and asthma management, cancer screenings, and pediatric well-care. Providers that deliver better outcomes for patients, especially in complex cases, receive higher incentive payments. This includes care for elderly patients or those with disabilities who often need more comprehensive treatment.
Payments through QCIP are based on measurable clinical benchmarks. For example, compliance with established guidelines for managing chronic conditions or completing preventive wellness services directly influences incentive amounts. By linking performance to payments, the program encourages providers to focus on preventive care and overall health outcomes rather than volume alone.
Impact on Patient Care
CenCal Health reports measurable gains in essential care metrics since the inception of QCIP in 2022. Key improvements include a rise in antidepressant medication management compliance, from 57.3% to 74.1%. Well-child visit rates for infants at 15 months increased substantially, as did screening rates for chlamydia and lead testing for children. Developmental screenings in the first three years of life, introduced into the program, also showed notable gains.
These improvements suggest that structured incentives can encourage providers to adopt evidence-based practices and enhance preventive care delivery. Higher compliance with screening guidelines and follow-up care is expected to reduce long-term health risks and improve population health outcomes.
Recognition for Quality Performance
The success of QCIP has not gone unnoticed. CenCal Health received two Achievement Awards for Outstanding Quality Performance from the California Department of Health Care Services. The organization was recognized for overall performance and leadership in children’s health. These distinctions place CenCal among the top Medi-Cal plans statewide for the quality of care provided, signaling that the incentive structure is yielding meaningful benefits.
Top Performing Providers
Some of the highest-performing participants in QCIP include Dr. Jeffrey Kaplan, Inc. Pediatric Medicine in Santa Maria, Dr. Cindy Blifeld in Lompoc, Jackson Medical Group, Community Health Centers of the Central Coast, and Sansum Clinic (now part of Sutter Health). These practices demonstrated strong commitments to key performance indicators, including preventive screenings and chronic condition management.
Leadership Perspectives
CenCal Health leadership emphasizes that incentive programs like QCIP are central to improving health care quality and equity. CEO Marina Owen highlighted that rewarding excellence helps primary care providers maintain high standards and encourages continuous performance improvements. The program is also seen as a means to advance health equity by directing resources toward providers serving patients with the greatest clinical and social needs.
Chief Quality Officer Carlos Hernandez noted that the program’s analytics system is foundational to effective population health management. By tracking and reporting performance data, QCIP helps providers identify gaps in care and prioritize interventions that lead to better patient outcomes.
Collectively, the QCIP initiative represents a successful model of incentivizing quality performance rather than sheer volume of services. It demonstrates how financial incentives, combined with data-driven benchmarks, can improve care delivery and strengthen primary care networks across a region.
