Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), All Plan Letter (APL) 23- 029- Memorandum of Understanding Requirements for Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans and Third-Party Entities
| Date: | June 10, 2026 |
| From: | Health Plan of San Joaquin/Mountain Valley Health Plan (“Health Plan”) |
| To: | Health Plan Providers and Practitioners |
| Type: | Regulatory |
| Subject: | Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), All Plan Letter (APL) 23- 029- Memorandum of Understanding Requirements for Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans and Third-Party Entities |
| Business: | Medi-Cal Managed Care |
On August 11, 2025, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) issued All Plan Letter (APL) 23-029, Memorandum of Understanding Requirements for Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans and Third-Party Entities. The purpose of this APL is to clarify the intent of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) required to be entered into by the Medi-Cal managed care plans (MCPs) and Third-Party Entities under the MCP Contract with the DHCS, and to specify the responsibilities of MCPs under those MOUs.
In addition, this APL contains an MOU template with general provisions required to be included in all MOUs (Base Template) that the MCPs must execute pursuant to the MCP Contract and MOU templates tailored for certain programs, which contain the required general MOU provisions and programs pecific provisions (Bespoke Templates).
These MOUs clarify the roles and responsibilities to assist providers with coordinating the delivery of care and services for our members and provides data sharing provisions, particularly across carved-out services, which may be provided by the Other Party.
Program-Specific MOU Requirements (Bespoke Templates) build on the Base Template requirements by including tailored provisions for the following programs:
- Specialty Mental Health Services in Medi-Cal Mental Health Plans
- SUD Services in Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (ODS) Counties
- SUD Services in Drug Medi-Cal State Plan Counties;
- Local Health Departments, including program-specific exhibits for CCS, MCAH, Tuberculosis Direct Observed Therapy, and Non-Contracted Services
- WIC
- Regional Centers
- IHSS
- County Social Services programs and Child Welfare
- TCM
- First 5 County Commissions;
- California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations (Justice
Involved) - LEAs and/or County Office of Education, as applicable, if agreed to by all
stakeholders involved.
To learn more about MOU Requirements for Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans and Third Party Entities, or view MOU templates, please visit: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Pages/MCPMOUS.aspx
For full text of APL 23-029, please visit:
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/formsandpubs/Documents/MMCDAPLsandPolicyLetters/APL2023/APL23-029.pdf
If you have any further questions, please contact your Provider Services Representative, or call our Customer Service Department at 1-888-936-PLAN (7526). You may also visit https://www.hpsj.com/alerts/ for online access to the documents shared. The most recent information about Health Plan and our services is always available on our website www.hpsj-mvhp.org
