Physicians should be aware that the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) will soon be eliminating the Healthy Families-to-Medi-Cal “Bridge,” which currently allows children transitioning from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal to continue to receive Healthy Family benefits for two months while their Medi-Cal paperwork is processed. The elimination of the bridge program was mandated by the California Legislature last year, under pressure from the Federal Government.
Impacted children will be those who, at their annual Healthy Families eligibility review, are determined to qualify for the Medi-Cal program. These children will be immediately “deemed eligible” for Medi-Cal and will no longer be covered by Healthy Families. Although the regulations are not yet final, they are expected to be finalized soon. Once the regulations take effect, physicians should periodically check the eligibility of their Healthy Families patients to prevent billing problems and payment delays.
CMA is concerned that eliminating the bridge program while simultaneously cutting Medi-Cal rates by 10 percent will make it even more difficult for poor children to get the care they need. California’s Medi-Cal rates are already among the lowest in the nation and additional reductions would force doctors and other providers out of the Medi-Cal program.
CMA and the Alliance for Patient Care (APC) continue to aggressively fight the 10 percent Medi-Cal cut scheduled to take effect July 1. We need your help to educate the public and elected officials about the harmful impacts this cut will have on access to health care in your area. If your practice and patients will be impacted by these cuts, take a few moments to fill out the brief questionnaire at the APC website (http://www.allianceforpatientcare.org) and we will plug you and your story into our communications efforts.
