Wider Circle, a nationwide community-powered health organization, announced a new partnership with CalOptima Health to improve outcomes for dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid members in California. Supported by a grant from the California Health Care Foundation, the program with CalOptima Health will connect its Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) through peer-driven circles that help individuals access care, close chronic condition gaps, and build relationships that support long-term health and stability.
Wider Circle’s mission is to create lasting connections, belonging, and well-being by bringing people together in circles of trust. This is especially vital for dual-eligible members, who face higher rates of chronic illness, lower usage of preventive care, and barriers like food insecurity, housing instability, language, and economic hardship—challenges where human-centered, scalable interventions can make the greatest impact.
Through this partnership, Wider Circle will engage CalOptima Health members across Orange County, focusing on culturally relevant outreach and connection. The program will include peer-support groups that foster trust, reduce isolation, and encourage proactive engagement in preventive care. The program will focus particularly on Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking members, ensuring that engagement is not only scalable but also adaptable to local community needs.
For health partners, the model delivers economic benefits: improving member retention, enhancing HEDIS scores, and promoting appropriate utilization. The impact of Wider Circle’s approach goes beyond care and quality gaps. Members find belonging, hope, friendship, and purpose—connections that restore trust and reduce isolation.. These circles help members take ownership of their health, driving improvements in preventive visits, medication adherence, and chronic condition management, while also reducing costly emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
Wider Circle works with health plans and provider organizations nationally to deliver unique community care programs that connect neighbors for better health. Centered on trusted relationships, Wider Circle connects health plan members with like-minded neighbors to inform, support, and motivate one another, empowering them to be more proactive about their health. Wider Circle’s trusted delivery network has been proven to drive resilience, improve member experience and engagement, and reduce inappropriate utilization and has been published in peer-reviewed literature.
This was reported by Wider Circle on February 4, 2026 (accessed February 10, 2026).
Contact information: Jennifer St. Clair, Hello St. Clair, Inc. for Wider Circle, 50 Woodside Plaza, Suite 743, Redwood City, CA 94061; 800-656-0228; Email: Jennifer@hellostclair.com; Website: https://www.widercircle.com/
March 2026 00US26EUA0007