Let me introduce you to some people whose lives would be upended if Republicans in Congress carry through with plans to decimate health care funding that covers 15 million Californians.
They are my neighbors and friends here in Laguna Woods, a small Orange County community in which 83 percent of residents are over 65.
Medicaid — which provides health coverage for almost 15 million Californians and about half of the state’s children — could face billions of dollars in federal cuts under a budget proposal from House Republicans.
That’s alarmed families like the Pequeños, who rely on Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California, to pay for medical care and other support for their children with chronic conditions.
The number of Californians with untreated mental health conditions is increasing.
At its root, the lack of access and insufficient treatment for mental health conditions is driven by declining insurance coverage and low reimbursement rates to providers, according to the author, who urges policymakers to listen to monitor rates to ensure that more Californians can access the care they need.
Health care and disability rights advocates are gearing up to make sure politicians understand that there is no way to cut Medicaid without hurting people who need care. Sharing real people’s stories will be key to that effort.
California Health Report’s disability rights columnist Jennifer McLelland offers her tips on how to tell your family’s story.
California is the first state in the country to expand Medicaid to all qualifying adults regardless of immigration status.
But many undocumented immigrants, especially those who live in parts of California where the cost of living is much higher, earn slightly too much money to qualify for Medi-Cal.
Amid the federal debt ceiling talks, some lawmakers have their eyes set on cutting Medicaid funding.
That would be an ill-advised and costly mistake for everyone, not just for the vulnerable populations who are beneficiaries of the government-funded program.
As of October, the most recent month for which data is available, more than 300,000 older immigrant adults who lack legal residency had enrolled in full Medi-Cal benefits, 30 percent more than the state’s original projection.
State health officials, who had based their estimate on the number of people enrolled in a limited form of Medi-Cal that covers only emergency medical services, don’t know how many additional older Californians are eligible.
The unequal impacts of COVID-19 and the ongoing crisis of police violence in communities of color have exacerbated mistrust and disconnection between these communities and the health care system. This makes achieving patient-centered care a challenge.
Studies show that brief messages and two-way communication via text builds people’s trust and engagement in health care and educational settings.
As a pediatrician, I not only worry about the health of the children I care for, but also the health of their parents and caregivers. Unfortunately, disparities in the wellbeing of children in the United States are climbing.
Improving health equity for children should be among our highest priorities as a nation, because it will impact our future.
Soon after news broke last week of the Trump administration’s finalized “public charge” rule, benefit enrollers at the Eisner Health community clinic in downtown Los Angeles started getting phone calls.