Managed care is becoming the dominant system of health care coverage and delivery throughout the United States and particularly in California, for both private and public sector health care. This report examines the availability and structure of health care for women in managed care settings, focusing on selected areas. The report presents findings from a written questionnaire survey of commercial managed care plans in California and in Medi-Cal managed care systems (local initiatives and county organized health systems).

Of the 33 commercial managed care plans surveyed, 27 responded. Of 13 local initiatives or county organized health systems, 12 responded to the questionnaire. Overall, the response rate was 84%. Follow-up interviews with 25 health care providers within the responding plans provided experiences that augment the written responses and help to identify themes in practice settings. This report provides a description of how selected services for women within managed care in California are organized and what services for women are emphasized. In both commercial and Medi-Cal managed care plans, health promotion, disease prevention, and well women services were examined. Examination of mental health and substance abuse services was primarily directed toward the commercial plans, because Medi-Cal managed care typically uses a different system of care to cover those services.

This report is co-published by the Pacific Institute for Women's Health.