The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive program of managed health care plan services to Medi-Cal recipients residing in clearly defined geographical areas. It is, further, the purpose of this article to create maximum accessibility to health care services by permitting Medi-Cal recipients the option of choosing from among two or more managed health care plans or fee-for-service managed case arrangements, including, but not limited to, health maintenance organizations, prepaid health plans, and primary care case management plans. Independent practice associations, health insurance carriers, private foundations, and university medical centers systems, not-for-profit clinics, and other primary care providers, may be offered as choices to Medi-Cal recipients under this article if they are organized and operated as managed care plans, for the provision of preventive managed health care plan services.