DATE:
July 16, 2024
15
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
RECEIVE AND ACCEPT THE PRELIMINARY REPORT INCREASING MEDI-CAL REIMBURSEMENT RATES TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE FOR NEARLY 1 MILLION SAN DIEGANS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal in California, is a vital government program that provides healthcare coverage to low-income individuals and families throughout the state. It is jointly funded by the federal and state governments and plays a crucial role in ensuring access to healthcare services for nearly a million people in San Diego County. Medi-Cal offers a wide range of health and social services, including doctor visits, hospital care, prescription drugs, and preventive care, making it a cornerstone of the state's healthcare system.
Medicaid programs reimburse healthcare providers at rates lower than those of private insurance or Medicare. These lower reimbursement rates might discourage healthcare providers from accepting Medi-Cal insurance, exacerbating the healthcare workforce shortage, and limiting access to care for low-income individuals.
San Diego County has the second highest population of Medi-Cal eligible residents, compared to other counties in the state. Due to its size, San Diego County plays an important part of the interconnected California healthcare system, but its safety net of health and social care providers is underfunded compared to other California counties with large Medi-Cal populations. Unlike many other counties in California, San Diego County historically has relied on community health care providers to create a safety net, such as Federally Qualified Health Centers, since there are no large county-owned public healthcare systems or health plans. However, much of the funding for safety-net health care services comes from State and federal programs, like Medi-Cal and Medicare. Given significant growth in San Diego County's Medi-Cal population combined with new State Medi-Cal priorities, an opp...
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