Know Your Rights: Consumer Health Coverage Info

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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. Translations: Spanish

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Publication
Health Care Practice Tip – January 2025 Accessing Health Care After Surviving a Disaster
After disasters in California, survivors may need extra assistance to access health care. Fortunately, several consumer-friendly protections help survivors access the services, supplies, and care that they need. Read on for special rights and remedies available to survivors seeking prescription drugs, medical supplies and equipment, physician and specialist care, eligibility and coverage, health plan enrollment changes, and more.
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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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Fact Sheet
Health Care Practice Tip – Accessing Health Care After Surviving a Disaster (January 2025)
After disasters in California, survivors may need extra assistance to access health care. Fortunately, several consumer-friendly protections help survivors access the services, supplies, and care that they need. Read on for special rights and remedies available to survivors seeking prescription drugs, medical supplies and equipment, physician and specialist care, eligibility and coverage, health plan enrollment changes, and more.
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Fact Sheet
Health Care Practice Tip: Medi-Cal Immigrant Eligibility Changes in 2026
Western Center on Law & Poverty has developed this comprehensive health care practice tip on the Medi-Cal eligibility challenges for immigrants beginning January 1, 2026. Several changes harm people differently depending on their age and immigration status. Until California’s elected officials reverse these harmful cuts, this Practice Tip provides information and strategy ideas to help immigrants access the health care that they need.    
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Fact Sheet
Upcoming Medi-Cal Cuts Don’t Apply to Immigrant Foster Youth, Nonminor Dependents, and Former Foster Youth (NHeLP, CLC)

National Health Law Program (NHeLP) and the Children’s Law Center (CLC) of California have developed this fact sheet, Upcoming Medi-Cal Cuts Don’t Apply to Immigrant Foster Youth, Nonminor Dependents, and Former Foster Youth. In it, they explain how certain immigrant populations will continue to receive full-scope coverage despite substantial cuts to Medi-Cal eligibility and services for immigrant communities. Foster youth, nonminor dependents, and former foster youth up to age 26 are exempt from these changes. These populations should continue to receive full-scope Medi-Cal without premiums or additional requirements. 

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Fact Sheet
Medi-Cal Changes for Adult Immigrants in California (2026)
HCA has developed this valuable resource to guide you through the upcoming changes to Medi-Cal that may affect your eligibility as an adult immigrant in California. (Updated July 12, 2026) Translations: Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Farsi, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Note: Additional translations will be provided as they become available.
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Web Page
Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) State Medicaid Agency Contract Toolkit
Justice in Aging’s new resource, Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) State Medicaid Agency Contract Toolkit, provides advocates and State Medicaid Agency policymakers with principles and corresponding template language to develop SMACs that are responsive to the needs of the dually eligible populations that they serve. Stakeholders are encouraged to use this tool to advance their priorities, utilizing and tailoring the components that are most appropriate for their state’s integrated environments.
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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 Web Page
CA State D-SNP Fact Sheet 2024
As part of Justice in Aging's recently launched project to build capacity and educate advocates about dual populations in Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans or D-SNPs, this fact sheet provides an overview of California's D-SNP landscape, including the number and characteristics of people who are dually eligible in the state. To review other state's D-SNP profiles, please visit Justice in Aging's D-SNP Data Landscape page . The Health Consumer Alliance (HCA) services the Medicare Medi-Cal Ombudsman Program (MMOP) - which provides support to dual eligible members of Medi-Medi plans, DSNPs, and PACE programs, helping these consumers to overcome barriers to accessing needed health care benefits and services.
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