Medi-Cal Makeover

California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, is the largest in the nation, serving nearly 15 million low-income people, including roughly 40% of the state’s children. The state is embarking on a massive transformation of the program, which has been slammed for providing subpar care and limited access to specialty treatment. The goal is to improve health care quality and save money. Will it work?

‘Separate and Unequal’: Critics Say Pricey Medicaid Reforms Leave Most Patients Behind

MLK Community Hospital in South Los Angeles is surrounded by poverty, homeless encampments, and food deserts. Even though California Gov. Gavin Newsom is funneling billions of taxpayer money into an ambitious initiative to provide some low-income patients with social services, hospital executives and other critics say it won’t improve access to basic care.

Taco Bowls and Chicken Curry: Medi-Cal Delivers Ready Meals in Grand Health Care Experiment

California has embarked on an ambitious five-year initiative to improve the health of its sickest Medicaid patients by introducing nontraditional services. In the Inland Empire, where many residents have diabetes, one health plan is diving into the experiment by delivering healthy, prepared meals to those lucky enough to get them.