CHCF commissioned interviews with 54 people enrolled in Medi-Cal who are dually diagnosed with mental illness and substance use disorder. The paper and accompanying videos highlight what is working — and not working — for them in the health care system.

This qualitative research was designed to better understand what prevents eligible Californians from enrolling in Medi-Cal and to identify ways to make the program even more accessible to the population it is designed to serve.

While hospital utilization fell dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, California's hospitals still recorded nearly $3.5 billion in net revenue in 2020, with Medi-Cal providing the greatest revenue increase.

Workers in California are shouldering more of the costs for their health benefits, paying both a larger share of premiums and higher deductibles and copays. California Employer Health Benefits: Are Workers Covered? presents data from the 2020 California Health Benefits Survey.

This paper is the second of two cross-site analyses drawn on insights from the seven publications in the 2020 Regional Market Report series. It explores factors contributing to behavioral health access issues, including workforce shortages and the complexity of the Medi-Cal system for behavioral health services. It also highlights efforts to improve and integrate services to Medi-Cal enrollees.

Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, is the state’s health insurance program for Californians with low incomes, including children, people with disabilities, and seniors. Get the latest data on this program, which covers one in three Californians.