|  | Healthcare Industry | Health Insurance

California Health Insurance Information

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) administers and finances health care programs for people with disabilities and low-income residents of California. A number of DHCS insurance programs work in association with Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, which DHCS administers.

  1. Medi-Cal

    • Medi-Cal offers major medical health care coverage funded by the federal and state governments. Persons eligible for Medi-Cal include those enrolled in programs such as SSI/SSP (Social Security benefits), foster care, refugee assistance and CalWORKs. Other residents eligible for Medi-Cal can include people who are 65 years of age and older, pregnant, blind, under skilled nursing care, under the age of 21 or disabled.

    Applying for Medi-Cal

    • Residents can apply for Medi-Cal coverage at county social services offices. Persons receiving SSI/SSP benefits are automatically enrolled for Medi-Cal by the Social Security Administration. CalWorks recipients are also automatically enrolled in Medi-Cal by their county social services agency.

    DHCS Coverage Programs

    • While Medi-Cal covers major medical services, other programs offer coverage for specific residents, such as American Indians, people living with HIV and AIDS and developmentally disabled persons. The Healthy Families program offers vision, health and dental coverage for children and teenagers who do not qualify for full Medi-Cal coverage.

    Treatment and Preventative Health

    • DHCS offers a number of treatment programs and preventative health care screening programs for specific health conditions. Low-income women can receive free screenings for cervical and breast cancer, and disease management programs offer services for people with chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Health Insurance - Related Articles