Know Your Rights: Consumer Health Coverage Info

The National Health Law Program's (NHeLP) experts cover a number of issues impacting access to and the quality of care for low-income and underserved people and families. This issue brief analyzes the legal requirements that require County Medical Health Plans (MHPs) to ensure Medi-Cal beneficiaries’ access to Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) and maintain adequate provider networks. It also discusses the different types of enforcement and monitoring tools to hold MHPs accountable.

Western Center’s Getting and Keeping Health Care Coverage for Low-Income Californians: A Guide for Advocates provides California advocates with the relevant statutes, regulations, and guidance needed to help their clients access health care coverage.

California is making major changes to the delivery of Medi-Cal services over the next two years. NHeLP has created a fact sheet briefly outlining some of these upcoming changes to Medi-Cal services in 2023-2024 and discusses important consumer protections that are designed to ensure that beneficiaries maintain access to needed care during these major programmatic transitions. (Jun. 2023)