Medi-Cal Enlargement Offered 286,000 Undocumented Californians With Complete Well being Care

DHCS applied the older adult expansion to supply state-funded full scope Medi-Cal to people 50 years of age or older who’re ineligible for federally-funded full scope Medi-Cal due to their immigration standing. Included are people 50 years of age or older who have been enrolled in restricted scope Medi-Cal previous to implementation of the older grownup enlargement on Could 1.

“Hundreds of further Californians are actually getting the well being protection they should reside lengthy, wholesome lives,” stated DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “When all Californians have entry to equitable, high quality well being care, our total well being system is stronger.”

Increasing well being protection to older Californians advantages people of all ages. Sickness and damage don’t discriminate. When all Californians are given entry to preventive companies, and common well being care, and home-based care, they keep more healthy and keep away from the emergency room and nursing dwelling. Eliminating disparities in well being protection is vital to deal with racial disparities in well being.

The state has labored for the final a number of years to increase complete well being protection to extra Californians. In Could 2016, kids below 19 years of age grew to become eligible for full scope Medi-Cal advantages, and in January 2020, full scope Medi-Cal was prolonged to younger adults ages 19 by means of 25, no matter immigration standing. These people beforehand solely certified for restricted scope Medi-Cal companies, akin to emergency, prenatal, and long-term care. Now they will entry the total vary of advantages accessible to full scope Medi-Cal beneficiaries, together with no-cost/low-cost high quality well being, psychological well being, substance use dysfunction companies, imaginative and prescient, and dental care, and residential and group primarily based companies.

The following step in California’s dedication to a Wholesome California for All is the enlargement of full scope Medi-Cal protection to an estimated 700,000-plus adults ages 26 by means of 49 who don’t have a passable immigration standing for federally funded full scope Medi-Cal, efficient January 1, 2024.

“These 4 expansions will, ultimately, lead to all lower-income Californians having the ability to entry high quality, inexpensive well being companies,” stated Baass. “The expanded protection and new enrollments are very a lot the results of elevated advocacy and outreach efforts undertaken by our county and community-based companions. Collectively we’re constructing a Wholesome California for All.”