Commentary: O.C. residents on Medi-Cal must renew it or lose it

Cue the flashing lights and sirens. It’s time for nearly 1 million Orange County residents to take action to maintain their health insurance. As CEO of CalOptima Health, Orange County’s Medi-Cal plan, I am alerting our members — 30% of all residents in the county — that they need to renew their coverage to keep their healthcare. Starting this month and for the first time in three years, Medi-Cal members will have to verify that they continue to qualify for the program that serves the low-income population.

Why the change? The federal government, to prevent the loss of health coverage during the pandemic, eliminated annual eligibility checks, which is a process known as redetermination. Many O.C. residents don’t know how big our Medi-Cal population is, so it comes as a surprise that so many stand to lose their health insurance if they don’t complete their renewal. Local estimates are that between 120,000 and 170,000 people could be affected. There’s a critical need to raise awareness about Medi-Cal renewal.

Imagine going to your doctor and finding out at the appointment that you no longer have healthcare coverage. The doctor can’t see you or refill your medications. Or worse, this happens to your child in need of urgent care. In collaboration with the county of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA), CalOptima Health is aiming to prevent these gaps in coverage.

To ensure that no one in Orange County is left behind, our board of directors authorized $6 million in resources and services to help our members complete their renewals. We have launched a massive campaign to educate our members about the importance of renewing and urge our partners, including doctors, hospitals, schools and community organizations, to support the process.

What’s first? CalOptima Health members must make sure their contact information (address, phone number and email) is current with the SSA because renewal packets will be mailed and reminders texted. Once members receive their packets (arriving in a yellow envelope), they need to act fast to return information within 60 days. Our board’s investment will make a difference by funding specialized staff to help members navigate the process. Navigators will work in community health centers and other trusted locations to provide culturally competent, multilanguage services. The process will continue until May 2024, with a group of members contacted each month to renew based on the same month they first enrolled in Medi-Cal. To update contact information or check renewal status, members can call SSA at (800) 281-9799 or create an online account at BenefitsCal.com. CalOptima Health Customer Service can also help at (888) 587-8088.

The past three years have not been easy on those in our community who are the most vulnerable and have the least resources, and we know that many individuals and families now have different circumstances — maybe they moved, had a job change, added or lost a family member, or even experienced homelessness. All of this is important in the Medi-Cal renewal process, which requires documentation about finances and other personal information. For those whose incomes increased, making them ineligible for Medi-Cal benefits, there are other health insurance options, including low-cost programs from Covered California. Either way, our expert navigators can help members keep their Medi-Cal or transition to another plan. I am urging our community to share this vital message about Medi-Cal renewal with their neighbors and friends. Someone’s life may even depend on it.

Michael Hunn is the CEO of CalOptima Health, a county-organized health system that administers health insurance programs for low-income children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities. It is the single largest health insurer in Orange County, providing coverage for one in four residents through four programs, Medi-Cal, OneCare Connect, OneCare and PACE.