Officials Call for More Medical Access in East Contra Costa County
On Monday, a group of health care officials released a briefing paper calling for increased medical access for low-income and uninsured populations in eastern Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Times reports.
The report notes that in 2008, the number of applications for Medi-Cal in Contra Costa County increased by 76% compared with 2007. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program.
As a result of the economic downturn, more people are seeking public services after losing health insurance coverage. In addition, the increased demand for Medi-Cal comes at a time when the county's budget strain has delayed application processing times.
To respond to these needs, the report recommends:
- Adding more staff to process Medi-Cal applications;
- Enlisting promotoras and health conductors to serve as liaisons between minority communities and health care organizations;
- Expanding community clinics; and
- Recruiting volunteer physicians to provide no-cost care (Kleffman, Contra Costa Times, 7/13).
The briefing paper is available online (.pdf).
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