Latest News On Faces of Medi-Cal

Latest KFF Health News Stories

California Expanded Medi-Cal to Unauthorized Residents. The Results Are Mixed.

KFF Health News Original

California this year completed its Medi-Cal expansion to include income-eligible residents regardless of their immigration status. This final installment of the “Faces of Medi-Cal” series profiles three of those newly eligible patients and how coverage has affected their health.

Medi-Cal’s Dental Care Gap: Getting a Tooth Pulled Is Easy — Much Harder To Get an Implant

KFF Health News Original

California is among a growing number of states that offer dental benefits to low-income residents, but some lawmakers want the state to go further by covering more cleanings and costlier implants. Dentists and health experts worry the approach doesn’t address the root of the problem: Many providers don’t accept Medicaid.

California Pays Meth Users To Get Sober

KFF Health News Original

California’s Medicaid program is testing a novel approach for people addicted to methamphetamine, cocaine, and other stimulants. For every clean urine test, they can earn money — up to $599 a year.

Amid Mental Health Staffing Crunch, Medi-Cal Patients Help One Another

KFF Health News Original

Peer leaders can help ease the shortage of mental health providers and build trust through shared experiences, state health officials say. In 2022, California started allowing counties to use Medicaid dollars to pay them for their work.

New Doula Benefit ‘Life-Changing’ for California Mom

KFF Health News Original

Doulas, independent workers who act as advocates for birthing parents, have been shown to help prevent pregnancy complications and improve the health of both mothers and babies. California’s Medicaid program started covering their services this year, but some doulas say bureaucratic obstacles and inadequate pay prevent their effective use.

Beyond Insulin: Medi-Cal Expands Patient Access to Diabetes Supplies

KFF Health News Original

California’s Medicaid program is making it easier for people with diabetes to obtain the supplies and equipment they need to manage their blood sugar, partly by relaxing preauthorization requirements that can cause life-threatening delays.

‘I’m So Burned Out’: Fighting to See a Specialist Amplified Pain for Riverside County Woman

KFF Health News Original

Teresa Johnson has been in extreme pain for more than a year after what she believes was a severe allergic reaction to iodine. Her Medi-Cal plan approved her referral to a specialist, but it took her numerous phone calls, multiple complaints, and several months to book an appointment.

Medi-Cal Covers Gender-Transition Treatment, but Getting It Isn’t Easy

KFF Health News Original

Pasha Wrangell has faced delays getting gender-affirming care because of red tape and limited providers. Over more than two years, Wrangell has received only about half the total electrolysis sessions recommended. Wrangell’s insurer through Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, acknowledges the shortage of practitioners.

Medi-Cal’s Fragmented System Can Make Moving a Nightmare

KFF Health News Original

When Medi-Cal beneficiary Lloyd Tennison moved last year from Contra Costa County to San Joaquin County, he was bumped off his managed care plan without notice before his new coverage took effect. His case highlights a chronic issue in California’s fragmented Medicaid program.

On the Brink of Homelessness, San Diego Woman Wins the Medi-Cal Lottery

KFF Health News Original

Annie Malloy, of San Diego, is among the first to receive a new housing move-in benefit from Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. It’s an effort to help homeless and near-homeless people who might otherwise rack up huge medical bills.

For California Teen, Coverage of Early Psychosis Treatment Proved a Lifesaver

KFF Health News Original

A Medi-Cal patient illustrates how early schizophrenia treatments can yield big benefits. Advocates want California to expand such services to more people living with severe mental illness, which they argue will not only improve lives but also save money over time.

California’s Massive Medicaid Program Works for Some, but Fails Many Others

KFF Health News Original

Medi-Cal serves more than one-third of the state’s population — offering a dizzying range of care to a diverse population. In the new “Faces of Medi-Cal” series, California Healthline will assess the program’s strengths and weaknesses through the lives and experiences of its enrollees.