Know Your Rights: Consumer Health Coverage Info

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DHCS Cultural Competency Postcard – During COVID-19
CULTURAL COMPETENCE (PART 1) Cultural Competence is a foundational pillar for reducing health disparities through culturally sensitive and unbiased quality care. In the wake of COVID-19, culturally competent approaches to care are more necessary than ever.

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Consumer Brochure
What is the Health Consumer Alliance (HCA)?
The HCA is a network of ten consumer assistance programs operated by community-based legal services organizations across the state of California. The HCA offers free assistance online, over-the-phone or in-person at independent, community-based offices throughout the state, helping people who are struggling to get or maintain health coverage and resolve problems with their health plans. We also provide statewide policy advocacy to resolve systemic health care issues impacting Californians.
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Publication
More Patient Protections for Hospital Billing in 2022 (WCLP)
Our Health Care Practice Tip this month details these changes and more. One common unlawful provision found in many hospitals’ fair pricing policies is a specific time period to apply, often set at 150 days. These deadlines violate the Hospital Fair Pricing Act, which allows patients to apply for charity care or discounted payments at any time, without time limit.  Meanwhile, hospitals may still commence collection activity after the statutory time period has passed. The Health Care Practice Tip explains this issue.
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Document Fact Sheet
Know Your Rights: Access to Health Care for TGI Californians (2026)
National Law Health Program has released this fact sheet on the recent Federal Executive Orders have purported to limit coverage of gender affirming care, especially for Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex (TGI) people, especially youth. Several of these Executive Orders have been challenged in the courts, and parts of them have been enjoined. There is no change to the law in California. Read more here!
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Publication
Cedars-Sinai Agrees to Enhance Maternal Health Support for Birthing People of Color in Los Angeles
The LA Times released an article outlining Cedars-Sinai's new agreement with the HHS Office for Civil Rights to improve support for birthing individuals of color, including:
  • Improving reporting on suspected bias;
  • Facilitating access to doulas during labor;
  • Putting warning systems in place to ensure timely detection and treatment of critical illness in pregnant patients
This is a step forward for positive maternal health outcomes in LA, but it should be noted that there has been no determination on whether Cedars violated any discrimination laws through its practices.
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Fact Sheet
DHCS Cultural Competency and Gender Affirming Care postcard
DHCS partnered with HCA to create a content-rich postcard that provides information and resources to support plan, provider, and stakeholder efforts to serve the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community and provide gender-affirming care. The postcard serves as a valuable resource for those seeking to improve the quality of care provided to this marginalized community and to ensure that they receive the best possible healthcare services.
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