Latest California Healthline Stories
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.
State Tweaks Timeline for Duals Project
Alameda County has been dropped from the state’s duals demonstration project and automatic enrollment in Orange County will be delayed at least one more month.
Duals Project Sign-Ups Hit Halfway Mark
If current opt-out percentages hold true throughout the signup process in California’s duals demonstration project, the state will end up with about 300,000 participants.
Why One Pioneer ACO Quit the Program — and What It Reveals About the ACA
Ten of Medicare’s 32 Pioneer ACOs now have dropped out of the high-profile program, after San Diego’s Sharp HealthCare informed CMS that it would be leaving the two-year-old pilot.
New Lawsuit Filed To Block Duals Plan
After losing in Superior Court, health advocates for seniors have upped the ante, filing a lawsuit in federal district court to try to halt further implementation of the state’s duals demonstration project.
State Wins Duals Project Court Ruling, Medicaid Defense Fund Plans to Appeal
A California Superior Court judge ruled Friday in Sacramento that the state may continue with its duals demonstration project. Medicaid Defense Fund, which challenged the project in a lawsuit, plans to appeal.
Judge Delays Duals Injunction Decision
Advocates and state officials will need to wait another two weeks for a Superior Court decision on whether or not a judge will temporarily halt the state’s duals demonstration project.
Lawsuit Slams the State’s Duals Project
A just-filed lawsuit in Superior Court asks that the dual eligibles demonstration project be paused long enough to fix several “failures,” including a form that offers no clear choice to opt out.
Main Push in Duals Project Starts, L.A. County Launches Passive Enrollment
The biggest element of the state’s Cal MediConnect project has begun — the push to enroll 200,000 dual eligibles into managed care plans in Los Angeles County. It’s almost half the project’s target population.
Advocates Want Duals Pilot Project Slowed
The National Senior Citizens Law Center is asking state and federal officials to slow down and fix problems in the pilot project to coordinate care for Californians eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal.