About 30% of California’s population is covered by Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. The states oversee the administration of Medicaid, a federal program. It offers low-income people and families health care coverage.
In 2022, California expanded Medi-Cal programs to include CalAIM, which includes meal delivery and housing assistance.
By recognizing that a person’s financial situation has a direct impact on their health, the project aims to take a more holistic approach to healthcare.
CalMatters claims that CalAIM was made possible by the Biden administration’s waiver, which permitted California and other states to “experiment with their Medicaid programs to try to save money and improve health outcomes.”
Thousands of Californians’ Medi-Cal coverage could be significantly impacted by Trump’s proposed reforms
Program-assistance Lawmakers in the state argue that addressing issues of substance abuse and reducing food and housing insecurity can reduce healthcare costs in the short and long term.
Authorities stated in a brief describing the increased assistance that Medi-Cal participants will have access to that they frequently have a number of complex health concerns that include physical, behavioral, and social needs.
Over half of Medi-Cal’s expenditures are attributed to the 5 percent of enrollees with the highest-cost demands, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
What are the future prospects for Medi-Cal benefits for Americans?
CalAIM is authorized by a federal waiver that allows states to test their Medicaid programs to identify innovative ways to improve the health and well-being of economically insecure residents.
These experiments also seek to investigate how better support may ultimately lead to less reliance on social welfare services, although they clearly recognize that not all Medicaid participants will be able to achieve this.
During his confirmation hearing to take over as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, Mehmet Oz voiced his opposition to CalAIM and other projects.
According to the former TV doctor, some states are abusing Medicaid, which offers financial aid to the underprivileged, for purposes other than medical care.
Americans should also realize that states have been made aware of the expiration of these protections by Republican efforts to cut federal spending.
Although CalAIM’s funding will last until 2026, the state has been cautioned against relying on federal assistance after that date.
Among those who would be particularly impacted if the Medi-Cal employment requirements are approved are Latinos
Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, covers over half of California’s Latino population. In San Diego County, 44% of Latinos rely on it for medical visits, prescription medications, and emergency care.
However, such coverage may be in jeopardy due to proposed government changes. House Republicans have proposed a $2.3 trillion cut to Medicaid as part of a bigger deficit reduction plan.
One element is the imposition of employment criteria for eligibility. A measure submitted in February states that persons between the ages of 18 and 65 must work or volunteer at least 20 hours per week in order to qualify for Medicaid, unless they are exempt.
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Additionally, according to new analysis from UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Institute, these and other changes could result in the loss of Medi-Cal coverage for around 2.3 million Californians. They are primarily Latino.
The survey found that a large number of Latinos are employed in sectors without employer-sponsored health insurance, such as construction, hospitality, and healthcare.
Nearly 1.4 million Latino Medi-Cal participants in these particular occupations may not have health insurance provided by their employers since they are independent contractors.
Arturo Vargas Bustamante, one of the study’s co-authors, said. Medi-Cal is therefore the insurance that is provided as a last option to cover these groups.
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Furthermore, according to Richard Kronick, a professor of health policy at UC San Diego, job requirements will not lead to an increase in employment; rather, administrative procedures will cause coverage to be lost.
He contends that while there might be some financial benefits, they are negligible and that the real cost of not having insurance is higher rates of illness and death.
These industries employ about 1.4 million Latino Medi-Cal participants, but since they are independent contractors, they might not necessarily be covered by health insurance offered by their employers. stated Arturo Vargas Bustamante, a co-author of the study.
