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Seniors and people with disabilities in California who have Medi-Cal have seen their benefits increased through expanded services such as medically adapted meals, transportation to and from appointments, home care, home accessibility modifications, and long-term care transition assistance.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) continues to transform Medi-Cal so that the most vulnerable people can have access to efficient, equitable, and quality medical services.
Thus, seniors and people with disabilities who are eligible for both Medi-Cal and Medicare can have dual plans in 12 counties that integrate these services.
In addition, the recent expansion of Medi-Cal and the elimination of asset limits, such as bank accounts, property or owning a second car, no longer count toward obtaining medical care, helping more people qualify for Medi-Cal coverage, experts said during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.
They explained that Medi-Cal programs are helping older and disabled Californians live healthier lives at home through prevention and consistency; this goes beyond the doctor's or hospital visit and seeks to meet all the physical and mental health needs of the community.
Dana Durham, chief of the Department of Health Services' Managed Care Quality and Oversight Division, explained that she is working to make Medi-Cal a comprehensive service, not from the point of view of illness in the hospital or from the emergency room, but from prevention.
In this regard, he commented that one of the most notable changes in the expansion of the Medi-Cal service is the community service, where the aim is to deal with complex issues in a personalized manner through a manager who serves as a guide to learn and understand everything that the medical service offers, in this way it will be adapted to the needs of each person from the understanding of their limitations.
"Managers help manage the system since not everyone has the ability to understand it, and it becomes more complex in older adults, but language is also the main limitation.”, Durham stressed.
Anastasia Dodson, deputy director of the Department of Health Care Services' Office of Medicare Innovation and Integration, explained that people with Medicare can also sign up for Medi-Cal for more comprehensive coverage.
"Medical works together with Medicare to cover payments and also the costs of prescription drugs, it serves to have a broader service because some Medicare benefits are not available in Medi-Cal.", said.
He also highlighted the elimination of assets to be a Medi-Cal beneficiary, meaning that any amount of assets or bank accounts does not impact eligibility, only the salary and the number of people in the home, a change that was carried out since January 2024 to give the community more opportunities to acquire the benefit of the services.
"Our goal is to make healthcare more affordable and more efficient from the moment you purchase your subscription.”, Dodson said..
Jenna LaPlante, senior director of Care Management Programs at the Institute on Aging, said she has been welcoming seniors who have Medi-Cal to help connect people to the services they need.
LaPlante works with 9 counties in the state, provides special care, and coordinates management and community support with other services in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Alameda, among others.
She also explained that they are working on care plans to reach more places; the goal is to work with those adults who have not had any benefits, in addition to hiring people who are bilingual, who have a different culture to connect with the most vulnerable communities, added Jenna LaPlante.
"The goal is to have providers available who can help people in any language and right now care coordination is being offered for older adults and people with disabilities.", he pointed out.
Carrie Madden, director of the Aging and Disability Program at Resource Connection of Central and South LA, said they provide support and help through phone calls, listening and connecting people to the help they need.
For Medi-Cal or Medicare beneficiaries, the services available are greater and the opportunities to obtain needed help increase, so purchasing Medi-Cal services is encouraged.
Keith Miller, executive director of Communities Living Actively Independent and Free (CALI), explained that with the changes, more support can be provided to people, working in a coordinated manner with the rehabilitation department and other areas that provide emotional support, housing, legal case management and others.
The focus is on older and disabled people to provide them with ongoing preventive services, but Medi-Cal also provides the opportunity to provide more precise care in the event of an illness or serious medical issue.
Miller said that 51 percent of his employees are people with disabilities, so providing help to this sector of the community is a commitment that begins with each one of us.
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