Beginning on July 1, California is slated to eliminate Medi-Cal coverage for adult dental services and a number of other services the federal government does not require state Medicaid programs to provide, but some clinics are fighting the cuts in court. The cuts were approved as part of the budget approved in February.
The California Primary Care Association, Clinicas del Camino Real in Ventura County and another clinic operator are suing to block the cuts for federally qualified health centers and rural health centers, arguing that federal and state laws require such facilities to provide the services.
A California Healthline special report by Kelly Wilkinson includes comments from:
- Elia Gallardo, director of government affairs for the California Primary Care Association;
- Roberto Juarez, CEO of Clinicas del Camino Real; and
- Nadereh Pourat, director of research planning at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and an associate professor at the UCLA School of Public Health.
Officials for the state Department of Health Care Services declined to comment. DHCS administers Medi-Cal.
A hearing in the case is scheduled for June 12 (Wilkinson, California Healthline, 5/15).