David Gorn

David Gorn was a Sacramento correspondent for KFF Health News until 2016.

@dgornreports

Exchange, Immigration Advocates Urge Enrollment by Mixed Status Families

Many Californians eligible for Medi-Cal or Covered California — particularly in families of mixed immigration status — have been reluctant to seek coverage. Government officials and immigration advocates joined forces to assure them health application information will not be shared.

Autism Treatment Concerns Raised

Two months after announcing the state would cover autism therapy for Medi-Cal beneficiaries, 105 children have received the service and the backlog for diagnostic evaluation may be as long as a year.

One-Quarter of Possible Participants Have Opted Out of the Duals Project

About 50,000 dual-eligibles have now enrolled in Cal MediConnect, but the opt-out rate is high, particularly in Los Angeles County. Overall, more than 100,000 Californians eligible for Medi-Cal and Medicare have chosen not to participate.