By Julie Small/The California Report/State of Health
Medi-Cal — the public health insurance program for low-income Californians — is growing faster under federal health care reform than the state expected. Twelve million residents — nearly a third of the state’s population — now rely on Medi-Cal, and that’s increased pressure to find more doctors willing and able to treat patients for what has historically been low reimbursement rates.
At the LifeLong Clinic in West Berkeley, most of the patients waiting to see a doctor are on Medi-Cal. Among them, 26-year-old Amanda Hopkins says she enrolled half a year ago when the state expanded the benefits program.
Read the complete story at The California Report/State of Health
