Medi-Cal Benefit & Program Changes
Beginning on January 1, 2020, several noteworthy regulatory changes went into effect. The first is the restoration of the following Medi-Cal benefits for adults:
- Chiropractic services
- Podiatry services
- Acupuncture
- Audiology
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Vision services: Routine eye exam and eyeglasses once every 24 months
- Incontinence creams and washes
The second is the expansion of the Medi-Cal program to cover undocumented adults between 19 and 25 years of age. This means young adults can now access affordable health coverage regardless of their immigration status – a huge win towards health equity in California. Although there is still a lot of fear and confusion surrounding federal immigration policies, DHCS predict as many as 90,000 young adults enrolling in the program statewide this year.
For additional details, please refer to the calendar year 2020 Medi-Cal and Cal MediConnect explanation of coverage (EOC) booklets available on the SCFHP website.