Medi-Cal

Sure there are those ambitious climate goals, the shuttered prisons, the state’s ever-worsening homelessness crisis and the three-year COVID state of emergency. But among the many changes that will define Gov. Gavin Newsom’s legacy as political leader of California, one of the most enduring, if under-appreciated, is his reshaping of the judiciary.  According to new […]

From CalMatters health reporter Kristen Hwang:  California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday announced a $215.3 million settlement against Centene Corp., a multi-billion dollar health care company that is the state’s largest commercial Medi-Cal insurer, with 20 contracts.  Centene is also the parent company of Health Net, which just won a lucrative contract for Medi-Cal, […]

A year into the rollout of CalAIM, payment details are murky and obstacles remain in finding help for Medi-Cal recipients with mental health needs.

Despite recent policy changes, many California families seeking behavioral health treatment through Medi-Cal struggle to get the services they need in a timely manner. Given the scale of the emergency, state leaders must ensure these systems are sustainably resourced.

State health officials last year launched a first-ever competitive bidding process for its Medi-Cal insurance contracts, aiming to implement higher standards. But when the winners were announced, several insurers complained about the process and potential impact on patient care.

Only a small portion of Medi-Cal’s primary care providers share quality health data. We need to close the digital divide that has left behind the 13.6 million Californians supported by Medi-Cal health insurance, CalFresh food assistance and CalWORKs cash assistance—more than a third of our state’s population.

The state's new Medi-Cal contracts are part of an overhaul to improve patient care. But some say the new providers aren't fully prepared to handle more Medi-Cal patients.

In California, 32,000 children under 18 have experienced the death of a parent or primary caregiver from COVID-19. The state has set aside $100 million for trust funds for children who are in low-income families to access when they turn 18 for school, housing or other expenses.

People with costly medical needs who make more than the income limit to qualify for free Medi-Cal may still access the program by paying a share of cost, but it’s often unaffordable. Advocates are requesting funding in this year’s budget to help those people qualify.

Tens of thousands of Californians with disabilities require special accommodations for dental care, but only 14 centers in the state can treat them.