(BPT) - California's state officials think that around two to three million residents might lose their Medi-Cal coverage during the "redetermination process" this year. Redetermination is when the state checks if residents are still eligible for Medi-Cal, and it started in April 2023.
During the public health emergency, the federal government said residents didn't need to do the redetermination every year. Because of that, many people kept their Medi-Cal coverage. But now, since the federal waiver ended, many people need to review and renew their eligibility to keep being enrolled. One health plan in California wants to remind residents about this, and they started a 'Review to Renew' campaign earlier this year.
Health Net, which launched the campaign, is one of the longest-serving and most experienced Medi-Cal partners in the state. They're using different ways to reach out to Medi-Cal members for their Review to Renew campaign, like sending special mail, making automated calls, sending text messages, and using social media and online ads. They also participated in local community and cultural events across the state to talk with people to educate them about how to keep their Medi-Cal coverage.
The company also made toolkits with information that anyone can use, but they're mainly for healthcare providers and community organizations. These toolkits have things like flyers, posts for social media, messages for newsletters or emails, text for websites, and answers to common questions. Health Net also held webinars and made easy-to-read explainers to help people understand the redetermination process more easily.
It's very important to learn about being eligible for Medi-Cal right now. Starting on January 1, 2024, a new law in California says adults who are between 26 and 49 can qualify for full Medi-Cal, no matter their immigration status. The Office of Governor Gavin Newsom thinks this expansion could help more than 700,000 adults who can't get full Medi-Cal because of their immigration status.
As California keeps thinking about expanding Medi-Cal, it's really important to have partners who are committed to helping the state and can give good healthcare to the people who need it.
