L.A. County Clinics Prepare for New Medi-Cal Patients

Los Angeles County clinic operators are getting ready for changes and a surge of new patients under Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program. More than 500,000 low-income, childless adults will be eligible for Medi-Cal coverage starting Friday under the state's Bridge to Reform Medi-Cal waiver, which is designed to help the state prepare for wider implementation of the federal health reform law in 2014. Through a program called HealthyWay LA, clinics will set up medical home models of care, and patients will have access to nurse advice lines, mental health care and other services.

• "Medi-Cal Puts Clinics to the Test" (Evans, Los Angeles Daily Breeze, 6/26).