Monterey, CA Medicaid Rollout Under Health Care Reform Facing Problems

View From A Nonprofit Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

We should all be thankful that the State of California has adopted legislation which will allow the Affordable Care Act (health care reform) to be rolled out in California.  This will enable hundreds of thousands more of our poorest to get access to health insurance by expanding the Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) program.   USA Today identified 25 states as trouble zones, many of them because the state governments haven't funded programs which would enable those below the federal poverty level ($23,550 for a family of four) to go on Medicaid.  Despite the fact that the Federal government will pay the vast majority of the costs, many states aren't going along with the program because of funding issues.  According to USA Today, if this funding isn't made available, 7 million people who should be going on Medicaid under health care reform won't be able to and because the way the law was worded, they won't qualify for health care exchanges either.  I hope this doesn’t happen.

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.