Children, pregnant women and people with serious conditions and disabilities will no longer be left without medication and care simply because the county failed to process their Medi-Cal renewals
LOS ANGELES, CA – A judge ordered Los Angeles County to halt its unlawful practice of terminating Medi-Cal recipients from critical coverage after failing to process their annual renewal forms. The ruling Thursday is the result of a 2016 lawsuit accusing the county’s Department of Public Social Services of failing to timely process renewal applications and then terminating Medi-Cal—leaving people without the health care they need and lawfully deserve—in clear violation of state law.
The lawsuit—filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and Western Center on Law & Poverty—demonstrated the harm suffered by sick and disabled Medi-Cal recipients who were unexpectedly cut from life-sustaining medications and care.