High Medi-Cal copays stopped by federal law.

Today, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rejecteds the budget proposal adopted last year that would raise Medi-Cal co-pays for low-income families (often making less than $900/month and sometimes much less), from $5 to doctors visits to $50 for ER visit.

We always thought the federal Medicaid law was explicit in preventing such cost-sharing, and the Obama Administration agreed.

Here’s the quick report in the Sacramento Bee by Kevin Yamamura:
http://www.caads.org/news_clips/sacramento_bee_2012_02_06_capitol_alert.pdf

For those scoring at home, CMS approved most (but not all) of the provider rate cuts, rejected the cost sharing proposal, and has yet to decide on the limits on Medi-Cal doctor visits. So more news to come…

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