In 2015 state legislation was passed to expand full-scope Medi-Cal to all children of California families with low incomes, regardless of immigration status. Newly eligible children, estimated at up to 250,000, can enroll starting May 16, 2016.

However, significant barriers to successfully enrolling these children include language barriers, fears around disclosing undocumented immigration status, and a complex application and enrollment process.

CHCF is working closely with The California Endowment and other California-based philanthropies and partners to reduce these barriers in order to maximize enrollment among newly eligible children. CHCF is investing in these efforts:

• Raising awareness among families of the opportunity to enroll in Medi-Cal through grants to multilingual and multi-ethnic media as part of The California Endowment’s #Health4AllKids campaign.
• Supporting county social service agencies, which determine Medi-Cal eligibility, through training around important issues particular to this expansion (including cultural competency, addressing immigration fears, and coordinating with local community-based organizations and existing children’s coverage programs).
• Helping newly enrolled children and their families get health care services by providing them with post-enrollment navigation support.

CHCF will share what we learn from our grantees and partners about what’s working, and where there are opportunities for improvement, as the implementation unfolds.