Tag: Medi-Cal

ACTION ALERT! Tell Congress Medicaid is a Lifeline for People with Disabilities

In case you missed it, The Arc of the United States hosted an informative webinar last week on “Medicaid Advocacy in 2025”, and is now available to watch! The webinar included the basics about Medicaid and the programs it funds, as well as the growing concern of potential cuts to Medicaid and what you can do NOW to protect it.  Click HERE to watch.

This week, the Congress is discussing a proposed plan to cut Medicaid by $2.3 Trillion. Medicaid funds about 70% of California’s Medi-Cal programs. Medi-Cal is the state’s name for Medicaid. This is a VERY SERIOUS CONCERN! Should these cuts get passed by Congress, 505,000 Californians with developmental disabilities, their families, and those who provide their vital services and supports will be severely impacted.  In Home Support Services (IHSS), Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), the Self-Determination Program (SDP), Early Intervention, employment programs, independent living services, heath care services, and so much more, are all funded by Medicaid.

We need EVERY person in the disability community to CONTACT THEIR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS NOW!  Emailing your members takes two minutes and is only one click away! Click HERE to ACT NOW!

Supports for Californians with Disabilities on Chopping Block as Congress Debates Whether or Not to Cut Medicaid

By Jordan Lindsey, Executive Director, The Arc & UCP California Collaboration

As individuals, families, and advocates have feared, the Republican controlled congress is debating major cuts to health and social services that could dramatically impact the availability of services for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Speaker Mike Johnson has published a list of possible spending cuts that include $2.3 trillion to Medicaid, with the largest Medicaid cut coming from “Per-Capita Caps”, which means that the federal government would set a cap on the total services and supports any individual could receive throughout their lifetime. For an individual with a lifelong intellectual or developmental disability, this would be catastrophic.

If Congress and President Trump sign a cut to Medicaid into law then California would lose tens of billions of dollars and would likely be forced into cutting programs funded by Medicaid. So, what are those programs? Here is a quick snapshot of services and supports that would be threatened:

  • All regional center services for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families (supported living, supported employment, transportation, day programs, respite, early intervention, group homes, and many more).
  • In Home Supportive Services for people with disabilities and seniors (IHSS).
  • Covered health care for people with disabilities, low-income children, pregnant mothers, and other low-income Californians (Medi-Cal).
  • All long-term care services, including nursing facilities, prescription drugs, and home and community-based services.
  • School services and therapies for children on Medi-Cal, including school psychologists, speech and language therapists, personal care aides, nurses, and more.

Californians with disabilities and seniors are especially vulnerable to cuts to Medicaid because they account for just under half of all Medicaid expenditures in California.

Advocates have begun meetings with the nine Republican members of the House of Representatives in California to discuss the importance of Medicaid for people with disabilities, and already Representatives David Valadao and Young Kim have carried this message to Republican leadership. We are looking to the remaining seven members (LaMalfa, Obernolte, Kiley, McClintock, Fong, Calvert, and Issa) to similarly lead efforts in D.C. to protect our community. The Arc and UCP California Collaboration will publish training and advocacy opportunities for all Californians in the coming days.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

  1. JOIN AN IMPORTANT WEBINAR: On January 29 at 1:00 p.m. (PST) for advocates nationwide to gain essential tools and resources to effectively advocate to save Medicaid in 2025. Click HERE to register.
  2. SIGN UP FOR OUR ACTION ALERTS! It’s important to stay informed and ready to take action. We will notify you when it’s time to testify at a hearing, contact your legislator, join budget briefing, or sign a petition letter.  Click HERE to Sign Up
  3. DONATE TO THE ARC: Help power our advocacy efforts to protect funding for programs and services for Californians with developmental disabilities, their families and the dedicated professionals who provide daily supports. Click HERE to donate.

Thank you for your advocacy. It’s going to take our entire community to join forces and protect our safety net of services.

Millions of Californians Have Lost Their Medi-Cal Coverage. Take Action to Keep Your Coverage

Take action to keep your coverage! Local Medi-Cal offices review each member’s eligibility once a year or when someone reports changes to their household. Everyone’s renewal date is different.

Millions of people have lost their Medi-Cal coverage since redeterminations resumed earlier this year, seniors and those with disabilities have experienced higher rates of disenrollment. Stay alert and informed!  Keep an eye out for any mail sent to you from your county Medi-Cal office. If you recently moved, make sure to update your address on the Medi-Cal website or by calling your local office.

Here are some resources and articles to learn more about current Medi-Cal updates and redeterminations:

More than 200,000 People with Disabilities Lost Their Medi-Cal Coverage in June

In June 2023, more than 200,000 people lost their Medi-Cal coverage because they did not return the information that was needed to process their new applications. People who did not return their redetermination packet during the month of June have until the end of September 30, 2023, to get their coverage restored. We are still working on the final numbers of people who lost their Medi-Cal coverage in July, but we do know that more than 34,000 people in Los Angeles County alone lost their coverage. People who did not return their redetermination packet during the month of July have until October 31, 2023 to get their coverage restored.

More than 1 million Californians need to return their renewal packets in the month of August 2023 to keep their coverage in place. Make sure that you and anyone else that you care about who is a Medi-Cal recipient are keeping an eye out for a yellow envelope in the mail and noting what date you need to return all requested information to your Medi-Cal office to not lose your coverage. Watch this video to get step-by-step instructions on how to renew your Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid.

You can visit KeepMedi-CalCoverage.org to update your contact information, check your redetermination status, submit information, and find more help in your local area. 

Medi-Cal’s Continuous Coverage During Pandemic is OVER. What Happens Next?!

The public health emergency has ended and now all people who receive Medi-Cal coverage will need to complete the annual renewal process again, just like before the pandemic.

All Medi-Cal member will be contacted by their local county office to complete their renewal packet. You will receive your renewal packet in the mail in a YELLOW envelope. Your renewal letter will tell you what information you need to provide any by what date to avoid any gaps in your coverage.

You can update you contact information and access more tools to help you with this renewal process at KeepMediCalCoverage.org, or by calling your local county office.

If you get SSI, Social Security will process your Medi-Cal renewal. If you need to report any address or contact information changes to social security you can do so by calling (800) 772-1213, or by contacting your local Social Security Office.

If you no longer qualify for Medi-Cal, you may be able to get health coverage through Covered California. Losing Medi-Cal allows you to enroll in a Covered California plan outside of the open enrollment period. Your local county office will send you information about how to sign up.

COMPLETE YOUR RENEWAL PACKET BEFORE THE DEADLINE TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY COVERED!

The Arc of California Supports Increased Medi-Cal Rates for In-Home Private Duty Nurses

Families in California have long struggled to get nursing care at home for medically fragile children. Even after doctors have deemed home care necessary to keep their kids healthy and safe, many Californians have been unable to secure enough nurses to fill their allocated hours.

The goal of the Medi-Cal Home and Community Based Services program, especially Private Duty Nursing (PDN) services, is to keep medically fragile Californians, particularly our children, in their homes — the setting that promotes their highest quality of life, allowing them the opportunity to be with their families and engage in their communities — and out of more expensive institutional settings.

The Arc of California is proud to join a broad coalition that is pushing this year for a 40% Medi-Cal rate increase to help attract and retain nurses who provide home healthcare to pediatric patients.

Take Action to Keep Your Medi-Cal Coverage

Do you or a family member currently have health coverage or regional center services funded through Medi-Cal? If so, here’s what you need to know so you can keep your Medi-Cal.

Annual Medi-Cal eligibility renewals have been paused for the last three years due to the pandemic. Starting April 1st, redeterminations will resume. Be on the lookout for a Medi-Cal renewal letter in the mail from your local county office. Make sure your name, address, email address, and phone number are up to date with your local county office. You can give your local county your information by mail, phone, in person, or online.

If you have Medi-Cal, your local county office will try and renew your Medi-Cal. They will use the information they have. The local county office will only ask you for more information if they need it to renew your Medi-Cal. If you receive a renewal packet or a letter asking for more information, you may submit the information by mail, phone, in person, or online.

If your contact information has changed, you can update it online at KeepMediCalCoverage.org, or by calling your local county office.

If you get SSI, Social Security will process your Medi-Cal renewal. If you need to report any address or contact information changes to social security you can do so by calling (800) 772-1213, or by contacting your local Social Security Office.

We have learned that the longest-enrolled individuals will be reviewed first. The first group of people who are deemed ineligible is set to be disenrolled from Medi-Cal health coverage and services starting in July. The state has 14 months, beginning in April, to complete the eligibility renewal process for all current Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

If you no longer qualify for Medi-Cal, you may be able to get health coverage through Covered California. Losing Medi-Cal allows you to enroll in a Covered California plan outside of the open enrollment period. Your local county office will send you information about how to sign up.

We will share more information about redeterminations, denials, and the appeals process in the near future. Remember: update your address if it has changed. We don’t want you to miss your renewal letter and risk losing your Medi-Cal benefits.

Help People With Disabilities Keep Their Medi-Cal Coverage!

The Medi-Cal continuous coverage mandate will end on March 31, 2023. On April 1, county offices throughout California will restart eligibility renewals to determine if current recipients still qualify for free or low-cost Medi-Cal.

Individuals with disabilities are at an increased risk of losing or experiencing a gap in coverage due to upcoming changes in completing the renewal process.

The California Department of Health Care Services has created valuable resources that you can share with your stakeholders, community partners, family, and friends to help ensure that people with disabilities have access and the information needed to keep their Medi-Cal coverage.

Click HERE to view resource toolkit.

Medi-Cal Renewals Start April 1, 2023. Update Your Contact Info Now!

During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), Medi-Cal beneficiaries have remained enrolled in the program without needing to complete renewals.

Starting April 1st, everyone currently enrolled with Medi-Cal will be contacted by their Medi-Cal county eligibility worker. Renewals will be completed over the course of the next twelve months. It is critical that your contact information is updated, otherwise you could lose your eligibility. If your contact information or household circumstances have changed since the beginning of the public health emergency, please update your information today by contacting your local county office, calling the Medi-Cal Member Helpline at (800) 541-5555, or by creating an online MyBenefits CalWIN account to complete your annual renewal and report any changes.

If you receive regional center and/or In-Home Supportive Services, you should also ensure that your contact information is up-to-date to maintain your eligibility for these Medicaid waiver-funded services.

Update your contact information now!

Visit: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Pages/Keep-Your-Medi-Cal.aspx

State Auditor Report on Children in Medi-Cal

The California State Auditor released a report requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee regarding the Department of Health Care Services’ oversight of the delivery of preventive services to children in Medi-Cal. Nearly half of all children in California receive medical services and care through the Medi-Cal program. However, findings in the audit led to the conclusion that California’s utilization rate for childhood preventive services remains below 50%. Unfortunately, that means an average of 2.4 million California children being served by Medi-Cal have not received required preventive services in the last 5 years. While there were several reasons given for the lagging service delivery the one that is perhaps the most concerning is the lack of access to care as a result of a limited number of health care providers that are willing to accept children on Medi-Cal. This has significant implications for children in the state and even more so for children with complex special health care needs who are in the Medi-Cal program. The final report details several key recommendations to improve the health of children in Medi-Cal. To view the report in its entirety visit: https://www.auditor.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2018-111.pdf

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