Millions of Californians have been left without medical services due to a lack of information to complete their Medi-Cal renewal procedures, with farming communities being the most affected, given that they have no knowledge of being a beneficiary and have no idea of the process to follow.
During the pandemic, all U.S. residents were covered by Medi-Cal, but this year they were required to renew their Medi-Cal service and update their information in order to continue with coverage.
However, more than 15 million residents - about 40 percent of Californians - have been left without health coverage because they failed to complete their applications.
During the radio program Península 360 Press, in collaboration with Marcos Gutiérrez, from “Hecho en California”, journalist Manuel Ortiz commented that he visited the community of Tulelake, in Siskiyou County, where he interviewed some farmers to find out how they respond to a health emergency and to find out if they have medical services.
He said that the responses he heard from farmers were not favourable, as most of them prefer to put up with the discomfort or visit the doctor with their own resources.
When asked about the Medi-Cal renewal service, farmers responded that they were not familiar with the topic, which makes completing the corresponding procedure almost impossible for them.
In this regard, he said it is regrettable that millions of people are left without health coverage due to a lack of information, since in many cases their lives depend on this service. Some sick people undergo long and very specific treatments with constant check-ups and medications, so losing their Medi-Cal represents a risk to their lives.
Anna Lee Mraz explained that there are various ways to continue receiving Medi-Cal services. For example, for people over 50 years of age, the service is completely free, regardless of their immigration status.
Mraz said that many people are afraid of being part of Medi-Cal programs because they believe that it could put their stay in the country at risk; however, this is not the case, since there is a data privacy contract that protects people.
It is important to remember that even people who do not qualify for Medi-Cal are entitled to health care because they can obtain low-cost health insurance through Covered California, the state's health insurance marketplace.
He recommended that if a person knows that he or she is a beneficiary and is not familiar with the renewal process, he or she should locate the nearest Medi-Cal office, go to a hospital or medical center and request information. You can also call at 1 800 223 8383 for San Mateo County.
It is important to verify the requirements for each county, since not all have the same process.
For more information, please visit the following pages:
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Pages/mantenga-su-medi-cal.aspx
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