Public Health Network Reports Major Success from Medi-Cal Expansion
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 6 2022
Contact: Cabot Petoia, clpetoia@gmail.com, 828-899-9239
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Los Angeles — Today, St. John’s Community Health reported that since the most recent Medi-Cal expansion – which allowed undocumented Californians over the age of 50 to enroll in the program – went into effect at the beginning of June, their benefits counselors have enrolled nearly 8,000 out of their 9,000 eligible patients.
These patients, who were previously covered through My Health LA, now have access to full scope primary care; specialty care such as podiatry and cancer treatment; therapy and behavioral health services; case management; care coordination services, and more.
St. John’s Community Health has been on the frontlines of the Medi-Cal expansion, putting pressure on and working with elected officials to pass legislation that will ensure undocumented people will have access to health care for years. In 2016, undocumented Californians up to the age of 19 became eligible for Medi-Cal, with those up to 26 years old becoming eligible in 2020.
26 to 49 year old undocumented Californians, the only age group currently not eligible for Medi-Cal, will gain access in 2024.
“Health care access is an essential part of social and racial justice,” said Jim Mangia, president and CEO of St. John’s Community Health. “We are seeing our older patients begin to finally be fully able to take health into their own hands. Now, in the midst of a pandemic that is causing long term health issues and fueling mental health crises, it is more important than ever for our most vulnerable populations to have access to every kind of care and every medication that is available to the general public.”
Today, St. John’s also reported that vaccination rates are climbing again, in part due to 6 month to 5 year olds becoming eligible recently. They’re administering over 200 vaccines per day, about 15 percent which are for those under the age of 5.
The positive rate for COVID-19 reached up to 53 percent of those tested last week. However, most cases are not severe, and St. John’s providers were able to prescribe Paxlovid to 19 people. Additionally, they gave out over 2,300 at-home test kits last week.