Four Sacramento-Area Counties Join LIHP Ahead of Reform Law
Four Sacramento-area counties are joining California's Low Income Health Program, which offers health coverage to uninsured residents in preparation for a Medi-Cal expansion under the federal health reform law, the Sacramento Bee reports. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program.
The Sacramento-area counties expanding coverage under LHIP include:
- El Dorado;
- Placer;
- Sacramento; and
- Yolo.
More than 40 other California counties already participate in the program (Rubenstein, Sacramento Bee, 3/6).
About LIHP
LIHP is an optional federal program for California that can be established at the local level. It is part of the state's Bridge to Reform program that aims to expand health coverage until certain federal health reform provisions take effect in 2014 (California Healthline, 1/10).
LIHP serves low-income adults without children, who will qualify for Medi-Cal in 2014 under the federal overhaul. LIHP will be dismantled following the Medi-Cal expansion (Sacramento Bee, 3/6).
Counties that set up the program are required to expand services at clinics and access to primary care providers. The program offers matching federal funds on all local spending (California Healthline, 1/10).
Enrollment Details
Gerald Kominski -- director of UCLA's Center for Health Policy Research -- said he expects about 500,000 Californians to enroll in LIHP by 2014.
Between August and the end of 2013, Sacramento County is expected to enroll about 10,000 residents in the program at a cost of about $40 million per year. Half of that cost will be covered by the federal government.
The county says it can only afford to serve residents making up to 67% of the federal poverty level, or about $600 a month for a single resident (Sacramento Bee, 3/6). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.