Lawsuit Challenges Medi-Cal Rules for Kids in Detention Centers

A lawsuit filed against the Department of Health Care Services argues that state and federal rules for Medicaid enrollment could hinder access to health care services for children when they are in detention centers and immediately after their release, the Bay City News/San Francisco Examiner reports. California's Medicaid program is called Medi-Cal (Bay City News/San Francisco Examiner, 10/18).

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed the suit on Tuesday, arguing that California illegally bars eligible youths from receiving Medi-Cal benefits for inpatient psychiatric care when they are taken into custody. Herrera maintains that under state law, juvenile Medi-Cal beneficiaries lose their benefits when they enter detention centers and then have to re-apply for benefits once they are released.

The lawsuit seeks to require Medi-Cal to cover inpatient psychiatric services for eligible youths when they are in detention centers and to automatically re-enroll them in Medi-Cal when they are released (Office of the San Francisco City Attorney release, 10/16).