Our website has a new look
The Alliance has launched a new and improved online experience! Now, our website features streamlined navigation and a fresh new look. The new easy-to-remember web address is
After listening to feedback from providers, members and the community, we’ve made some upgrades to better support care for Medi-Cal members and to advance our mission to provide accessible, quality health care guided by local innovation.
Note that the Provider Portal has the same login, features and functionality you’ve been using, but it’s now easier to access on our website.
Find and view information more easily
With updates to our website’s content and navigation, www.thealliance.health provides easy access to key information and resources to help you do business more efficiently with the Alliance.
Visit our revamped website to:
- Get user-friendly site access on your computer, tablet or phone.
- Find what you need fast with our website search function.
- Connect with Provider Services: reference contact information for claims, authorizations, pharmacy support and other provider-related inquiries.
- Browse our one-stop repository for frequently used forms, including the Treatment Authorization Request (TAR).
- Review current information on Care-Based Incentives, Facility Site Reviews, referrals and authorizations, prescriptions and more.
- Access a collection of educational and operational resources, including the Provider Manual, on our Resources page.
- Keep up to date on benefits and services changes on our Provider News page.
Better experience for Alliance members
The site is designed with member experience in mind and gives you tools to improve quality of care for Alliance members.
On the new site, you can easily:
- Review and share member-facing information for accessing our Nurse Advice Line, transportation services, language assistance, telehealth and other key member services.
- Find details on Alliance health and wellness programs, including eligibility, referral processes and member rewards.
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: outreach findings and provider resources
Member outreach
From February through May 2021, the Alliance conducted COVID-19 outreach calls to members 16 and older, identified as high and moderate risk, to assist them with vaccine access, care coordination and transportation services.
Read the article for details on outreach findings, how our staff is encouraging members to get vaccinated, and key resources providers can use to address vaccine hesitancy in our communities.
Live outreach has proved to be a superior method to engage with at-risk members—particularly those with limited internet access, lower computer literacy skills or diminished social circles during the pandemic. Through our live outreach efforts, Alliance staff has been able to effectively address misinformation and provide COVID-19 vaccine information to extended family members.
Findings
Of the over 600 (N=608) members reached, 21% (n=127) were “unsure/refused” the vaccine. Across our service areas, the rate of “unsure/refused” vaccine responses was highest in Merced County and among English-speaking members in all three counties.
Among those we connected with who responded “unsure/refused,” about 54% of these members declined sharing their reason or did not state a reason for vaccine hesitancy. Others shared their reasons and the following themes emerged:
- Fear/mistrust (29%): Members expressed fear of side effects (i.e., they kill people, doesn’t trust the turnaround time of the vaccine production, etc.).
- Will speak to primary care provider (PCP)/specialist (25%): Members expressed wanting to follow up and speak to their PCP or specialist (the majority of these members did not share they had any health concerns).
- Complex health conditions (20%): Members had one or multiple medical conditions (i.e., cancer treatments, liver transplant or cell transplant) and wanted to talk to their PCP/specialist prior to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Family beliefs/cultural considerations (6%): The role of extended family members in decision making. Many members expressed needing to speak to their family before considering getting vaccinated.
Moving forward
To increase vaccine uptake among Alliance members, it is critical that the health care community listens, builds trust and increases collaboration across our service areas. Incentives alone will not be effective; provider, community and health plan outreach efforts are essential.
Alliance staff will be:
- Leveraging national and local member incentives to promote the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Monitoring inequities in vaccine distribution.
- Continuing COVID-19 member outreach and mass communication campaigns, which include targeted populations and key messaging.
Provider role and resources
With many hesitant individuals wanting or planning to speak to their doctor about the COVID-19 vaccine, providers can play a pivotal role in increasing vaccination rates. It is vital that providers are equipped with the proper information and strategies to have these conversations with members.
Below are a few valuable sources for educating staff and patients to address vaccine hesitancy:
- CDC provides COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkits for various audiences and a Guide for Community Partners: Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Members of Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities.
- For individual and organizational strategies to increase vaccination rates, check out Mayo Clinic’s Evidence-Based Strategies for Clinical Organizations to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy.
- The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) provides a Conversation Guide to Improve COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake (login/registration required).
Back-to-school immunizations
Alliance outreach efforts
The Alliance is reaching out to encourage members to get their children caught up on immunizations before the start of the school year. Parents are encouraged to schedule a well-child visit with their child’s doctor that includes the required shots for their grade level.
Patients 12 and older can get their COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as their child and adolescent immunizations, an approach that has been supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
We are utilizing several communication channels to promote back-to-school immunizations, including:
- Banners in high-visibility locations in Merced County.
- Informational posts on our Facebook page.
- Prominent information throughout the summer on the home page of our website.
Members can also find more information in English, Spanish and Hmong on the Check In, Check Up page of our website.
Member incentives
Providers can remind Alliance members that immunizations are part of our Health and Wellness Rewards Program. Members who complete their required vaccines by their 13th birthday are entered into a monthly raffle for the chance to win a $50 Target gift card.
Resources for providers
The Alliance offers several resources for providers to assist with immunizations. Resources include:
- Our immunization resources webpage detailing schedules, county resources, printable promotional materials and more.
- Immunization webinars and training:
- Back-to-school immunizations and vaccine hesitancy training: access the June 10 training, offered as a collaborative effort between the Alliance Quality Improvement team and the California Department of Public Health.
- “Best Practices for Immunization Providers” webinar: for general information on immunizations for Alliance members (including children).
- Immunization websites such as Shots for School and California Immunization Coalition also offer helpful information and resources for providers to reference.
