Cardinal Care: A Program for All Medicaid Members

Single program offers clearer, straighter path to care

Starting January 1, 2023, Virginia Medicaid members became part of Cardinal Care - a single system of care for all of our 2 million members. Cardinal Care will connect members to the care that they need when they need it and reduce transitions between programs as their health care needs evolve. All managed care and fee-for-service Medicaid members will be part of the Cardinal Care program. The Cardinal Care program will combine the two managed care programs of Medallion 4.0 and Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) into one program. Medallion 4.0 serves children, pregnant women and adults. CCC Plus serves older adults, disabled children and adults, and individuals receiving long-term services and supports (LTSS). The fee-for-service program will continue to serve newly enrolled members for a short time as well as those with limited health coverage.

Cardinal Care will continue to offer members the same programs and services and will not reduce or change any existing coverage. Members in managed care can maintain their health plan and do not need to take any action to enroll in Cardinal Care. Some members may soon receive new cards with the Cardinal Care logo that will become active on January 1, 2023. Members can also continue to use their blue-and-white Medicaid ID cards. Both the old and new cards will be accepted by Medicaid providers.

Cardinal Care will offer the following for our members:

Single system of care that reduces transitions between programs or gaps in care as member needs change
Care coordination, available to all members, as needed
Streamlined enrollment and renewal process
Health coverage in one of the same six health plans (Aetna Better Health of Virginia, Anthem HealthKeepers Plus, Molina Complete Care, Optima Health Community Care, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, and Virginia Premier Health Plan) that offer choices in coverage and added benefits
Unified program messaging with simplified communication

What you need to do:

Your transition to Cardinal Care will be automatic, as long as you are a current, eligible Medicaid member. You can help ensure a smooth transition by taking the following steps:

Make sure your contact information is current with Virginia Medicaid. Update your phone number and mailing address by:
- Going online to commonhelp.virginia.gov,
- Calling Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282, or
- Calling your local Department of Social Services. Visit the VDSS website to search for your local agency’s number.
Contact your managed care organization to update your contact information as well.

Talk with your health provider and/or your health plan if your health needs change. Cardinal Care is here to support you and all of your health care needs!