In a recent development that could potentially impact millions of Californians, a bill designed to prevent the loss of healthcare coverage due to paperwork errors has been stalled by an Assembly Appropriations committee.
The Protecting Medi-Cal Coverage for Californians Act (AB 2956), introduced by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas), was aimed at safeguarding the healthcare provision for adults enrolled in Medicare.
Boerner expressed her disappointment at the development, stating, "It is unconscionable to think that over a million people each year are not able to get the care that they need due to something as simple as missing a single piece of paper." The proposed act would have ensured that coverage is not denied for a full year after the federal unwinding period came into effect and would have made renewal flexibilities permanent.
The issue of wrongful removal from Medicare due to procedural errors is not unique to California. Several states across the U.S. are grappling with this problem, especially after the continuous enrollment rules were terminated in April, post-pandemic. Now, minor mistakes such as missing deadlines or having an outdated address can lead to the loss of healthcare coverage.
In California alone, this policy change has resulted in over 1.6 million people losing coverage, with half of those affected being Latinos. Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the state of Tennessee, explained, "The bill is aimed at solving what was the most prevalent problem with Medi-Cal last year, paperwork." He further added that the first-time formal process of filling out the form for coverage since the pandemic led to confusion and errors, resulting in 80% of the Medi-Cal cancellations.
Boerner, expressing her commitment to the cause, stated, "I am disappointed that AB 2956, a bill that would have helped many Californians retain health coverage, did not get the necessary approval to move forward. I remain committed to ensuring that those eligible for Medi-Cal are not routinely disenrolled due to bureaucratic red tape."
The president of the Children's Partnership, Mayra E. Alvarez, highlighted the risk posed to children due to paperwork errors and long call wait times. "Even relatively short gaps in Medi-Cal coverage can mean the difference between getting the timely early developmental intervention that growing children and their families need to lead healthy lives and falling dangerously behind in healthy childhood development," she said.
Seciah Aquino, the executive director of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, termed the legislation an "intentional fight for justice" and expressed concern over the health of Latinos, who are still grappling with the repercussions of the pandemic.
Beene concluded by urging Californians who need coverage to seek assistance in correctly completing all forms associated with Medi-Cal to avoid being left out for a second year in a row.
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