With Medi-Cal redeterminations underway following the end of the federal public health emergency, the Western Center on Law and Poverty (WCLP) is concerned about recently released data from the state, which shows that 225,231 individuals have been disenrolled from the program so far.
For the renewal period beginning in April, a total of 1,052,030 individuals underwent a renewal, of which 199,852 were terminated due to procedural reasons. Procedural reasons may include being unable to complete renewal packets, and the state not having up-to-date contact information for beneficiaries. David Kane, senior attorney at WCLP, spoke with State of Reform about his concerns with the high level of terminations.
WCLP has been working with California’s Department of Health Care Services for over three years to prepare for this redetermination process. WCLP meets with the agency twice per month and reports challenges they hear about from the community. The Center also advocates for policy changes that will make it easier for Californians to renew and maintain coverage.
The state says procedural errors occur when individuals fail to turn information in, but Kane said many are attempting to renew their Medi-Cal but run into roadblocks. Bumps occur when individuals attempt their annual renewal through the phone—which is critical for those who don’t have a physical address—need to conduct the renewal during their lunch break, or don’t receive paperwork in the language they speak. Phone wait times have also increased, with LA County having hold times of 45 minutes to one hour.
