Medi-Cal - California Health Care Foundation

Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program) now covers more than 13 million Californians, or roughly one in three people in the state. CHCF reports provide data and analysis on how well Medi-Cal health insurance programs serve Californians.

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February 25, 2019

Briefing — Medi-Cal Explained: An Overview of Program Basics

February 25, 2019

This briefing provided an overview of the basics of the Medi-Cal program, including eligibility and enrollment, organization, oversight, and financing.

Medi-Cal Facts and Figures — Almanac Collection

Insurance Coverage, Medi-Cal

Medi-Cal is the state’s health insurance program for low-income Californians, including 40% of all children, half of all people with disabilities, and more than a million seniors. This collection of current and past editions of Medi-Cal Facts and Figures presents data on enrollment, benefits, financing, and access and use.

Poll Shows Californians’ Health Priorities for New Governor and Legislature

Behavioral Health, Workforce, Medi-Cal

Access to mental health care is a top concern statewide.

What Matters Most to Californians

January 24, 2019

Kristof Stremikis

Medi-Cal, Behavioral Health, Workforce

A statewide poll reveals that Californians are deeply aware of the state's lack of mental health providers — and they're worried about how to pay for care.

Changes to Public Charge Rule

On August 12, 2019, the federal government finalized radical changes to “public charge” rules in an effort to disqualify many immigrants from gaining permanent residency in the US. The rule will go into effect in California on February 24, 2020, even as multiple legal challenges continue to move through the federal courts.

Public Charge Rule Could Prompt Up to 455,000 California Kids Who Need Care to Leave Medi-Cal

November 15, 2018

Leah Zallman, Karen Finnegan

New research from the Institute for Community Health estimates that the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the public charge rule could prompt up to 455,000 California children in need of medical attention to leave Medi-Cal.

California Lawmakers Asked CHCF How to Improve Access to Care in Medi-Cal. Here’s What We Told Them.

February 8, 2018

Christopher Perrone

Medi-Cal, Telehealth

Chris Perrone, director of CHCF's Improving Access team, told the California Legislature how Medi-Cal expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has affected access to care for people who rely on the program.

Medi-Cal: A Program and a Population That Work

January 16, 2018

Kristof Stremikis

ACA/Health Reform, Medi-Cal

While the federal government has opened the door for states to impose work requirements on people who use Medicaid, data show that a vast majority of nondisabled recipients are already in working families.

How Would Tax Bills Affect Medicaid? Some Useful Resources

November 3, 2017

Medi-Cal, Payment & Financing

With tax legislation now at the top of the congressional agenda, CHCF has put together some useful resources that explain the profound impact the proposals could have on the health care system.

2017 Edition — Medi-Cal Facts and Figures

Medi-Cal, Insurance Coverage

Medi-Cal is the main source of health insurance for one in three Californians. This quick reference guide provides an overview of the program's key features and describes how enrollment has grown from 2013 to 2017.

Data Show Medicaid Expansion Benefited Family Finances

November 17, 2017

Anne Sunderland

Health Care Costs, Medi-Cal

Researchers have found that the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion is associated with declining medical debt, fewer personal bankruptcies, improved credit scores, and reduced reliance on predatory lending practices.

Establishing a Per Capita Cap in Medicaid: Implications for California

ACA/Health Reform, Medi-Cal

With Congress proposing fundamental changes to the financing structure of Medicaid through creation of a per capita cap, Manatt Health examines the implications for Medi-Cal.

With Federal Medicaid Cuts Looming, New California Poll Shows Bipartisan Support for Program

Political polarization hasn't prevented most Californians from agreeing on the importance of Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program.

Medi-Cal Gets a Bad Rap

Avram Goldstein

A CHCF expert explains why a critique of Medi-Cal in the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal showed a deep misunderstanding of the program that is a lifeline for one-third of Californians.

Moving Medi-Cal Forward on the Path to Delivery System Transformation

Cindy Mann, Naomi Newman, Alice Lam

How can we ensure that Medi-Cal consistently delivers excellent access, quality, and patient experience? A Manatt report articulates a pathway for advancing Medi-Cal delivery system and payment reform.

Medi-Cal Matters: A Snapshot of How Medi-Cal Coverage Benefits Californians

Harbage Consulting

A compilation of key facts and figures illustrates the breadth and scope of Medi-Cal coverage and how that coverage benefits Californians.

Physician Participation in Medi-Cal: Is Supply Meeting Demand?

Janet Coffman, Margaret Fix

ACA/Health Reform, Medi-Cal, Workforce

Enrollment in Medi-Cal surged between 2013 and 2015. This report looks at physician participation in Medi-Cal and implications for access to care.