Helping Californians get the health care they need

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Program Update: All eligible Californians 50 years of age or older can now get free full-scope Medi-Cal regardless of immigration status. See our new Health4All Older Adult flyer for details.  Medi-Cal is not a public charge benefit. (See here for more info.)

The Health Consumer Alliance (HCA) offers free assistance over-the-phone or in-person to help people who are struggling to get or maintain health coverage and resolve problems with their health plans.

Medical Debt - Do you have a medical bill that you cannot afford? We may be able to help you reduce your bills from hospitals, dentists, ambulance transportation, doctor groups, and other types of health care services. Call us for free help.

Important - Update your contact information with your local County office!

Are you enrolled in Medi-Cal? Has your contact information changed in the past two years? Give your county office your updated contact information so you can keep your Medi-Cal. Find your local county office by visiting dhcs.ca.gov/COL or calling [the Medi-Cal Member Helpline at (800) 541-5555 / our consumer hotline at 888 804 3536]

About the HCA

About the HCA

 

Local Help Centers

Local Help Centers

 

Publications

Publications

 

NEWS

Keep Your Coverage After the COVID Emergency

The Health Consumer Alliance can help you access health care after the COVID-19 emergency ends in 2023. Learn your rights to keep your coverage!

County of Santa Clara Charity Care Settlement

Starting August 14, 2023, about 43,000 former patients of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center have a limited time to apply for refunds of hospital bills they overpaid. The application deadline is 65 days from the date of the County’s mailing of a letter to the patient notifying them of their past bills.

MPX/Mpox information

Looking for monkeypox testing, vaccination, and treatment? We are sharing resources on this page.

Medi-Cal health plans face pressure to reform

The California Department of Health Care Services has started a reprocurement process for all Medi-Cal commercial health plans. This means health plans will need to submit proposals for how they can meet the needs of Medi-Cal members.

Medi-Cal to include people age 50 and over without immigration requirements

Starting no sooner than May 2022, people age 50 and over can qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal regardless of immigration status! This means people who currently get restricted or emergency Medi-Cal can get regular Medi-Cal next year

We were faced with a seemingly intractable issue that neither Covered California nor our insurer could resolve…. It took a legal hearing to resolve the problem. Without your help, I am sure that I could not have achieved the fair outcome that we deserved. Thanks so much for all of your kind assistance and advice.

Consumer who was assisted in obtaining coverage with Covered California

Advocacy Notes

Featuring a recent example of HCA Advocates’ compelling work throughout the state.

A transgender woman that faced barriers to obtaining needed health services contacted HCA’s partner in Los Angeles, the Health Consumer Center of Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles (NLSLA).  The consumer’s health plan had denied her request for medically necessary gender affirming care, specifically hair removal via electrolysis. The health plan denied the request determining that hair removal was not medically necessary.  The HCA advocates at NLSLA filed a request for Independent Medical Review (IMR) with the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and supported the medical necessity of the requested services with records from her treating providers.  NLSLA’s advocates also submitted a brief demonstrating that the hair removal sought was in fact medically necessary to treat the consumer’s gender dysphoria.  DMHC agreed and reversed the health plan’s decision requiring the plan to approve the requested hair removal.  The consumer obtained the needed service and expressed great appreciation to the NLSLA advocates that helped her. 

This case is one example of the great work HCA partners across the state are providing to consumers facing barriers to accessing needed gender affirming care.  

HCA