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Medi-Cal has been transformed with the goal of reaching more people, regardless of immigration status, religion, language, origin, sex or age, providing a more complete and comprehensive service. In its first phase of transformation, the program reached out to communities to listen to their real needs.
California reached its lowest uninsured rate in 2022. Access gaps result in health disparities, as people in underserved groups, such as low-income people and people of color, experience higher rates of illness and death.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) continues to transform Medi-Cal (California's comprehensive health coverage program for children and families), making historic investments to achieve equity in health care.
The program seeks to expand to all low-income Californians regardless of immigration status, expand language access so members can receive interpretation services, and create new community supports beyond the doctor's office, including housing assistance, psychological care, and personal care services.
In addition to this commitment to health equity, DHCS leaders toured the state to hear from Medi-Cal members who have experienced health inequity firsthand, said Selene Ozturk. of the Department of Health Services, during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.
With support from community organizations, they formed the first phase of DHCS’ Roadmap for Health Equity, a new initiative to create a Medi-Cal that is more focused on members and their true needs.
Once the first phase of the Health Equity Roadmap is complete, a pre-designed phase will be developed that will use member feedback to make Medi-Cal more equitable; these results will be made available on their website once processed.
Dr. Pamela Riley, Chief of Health Equity and Deputy Assistant Director for Quality Management and Population Health at the Department of Health Care Services, said that all people, regardless of color, religion, origin, age or income, have the right to health care, while lamenting that this goal is not always achieved due to the disparities they face.
"Equity goes beyond access, we have to ensure that we provide efficient health services for everyone.", he explained.
Riley said that if we want to achieve real change, we must work directly with the members, listen to them and get to know their needs, especially in indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, which are the most vulnerable.
Last year, an initiative was launched that is transforming the Medi-Cal program. It is a phased implementation where health care is focused on members and is specifically targeted to them, providing dental and comprehensive care, explained the graduate in Anthropology.
"Phase one is a statewide tour to meet and listen. Phase two will involve working with program members using community feedback and initiatives to ensure all voices are heard.", he stressed.
Dr. Riley also said that phase three will be the result of the foundation that has been laid to create a path to health equity in which viable elements will be put in place to achieve mutual objectives and arrive at a more equitable Medi-Cal system.
It is worth noting that phase one has been completed, during which the most vulnerable communities were visited to listen to residents and understand their needs. During these trips, the most important issue to consider was linguistic diversity, as people need to feel understood and heard.
Debbie Toth, President and CEO of Choice in Aging, shared that she has been with the organization for 22 years and has never had a project this important, something that excited and inspired her.
"Historically, there had not been work done so focused on communities, knowing the needs of each person through their own stories.", he stressed.
When Toth arrived at Choice in Aging, he noticed that they did not have a program focused on Spanish speakers. When this space opened, people from Mexico, Argentina, and Spain gathered, where one person commented: “We share the language but not the culture.””, so she understood that they do not have the same needs and it was important to see each person in a unique way.
"We assume things because they share the same characteristic, but a person cannot be identified by just one thing since there are many identities.", he added. Thoth.
Michael Whalen, director of programs at The Bedford Center at Choice in Aging, said there is a need for more senior care centers, spaces where people feel loved and valued regardless of their age.
She said that they provide a social and community place where people feel special and part of a community, as it is very important that everyone has a place to spend their time in the afternoons, a special place that makes them feel unique and that goes beyond a medical check-up, but supports them in a comprehensive way.
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