In response to COVID-19, California has begun early release of some individuals from custody in state facilities. Obtaining appropriate health care coverage is one of the many challenges that individuals returning to their communities will face.
Justice in Aging has created a new resource to help: Medicare and People Leaving Incarceration: A Primer for California Advocates During the Pandemic. The primer discusses policies of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) that particularly impact Medicare eligibility, enrollment, and premiums for people leaving custody. It also discusses how Medi-Cal programs can help formerly incarcerated low-income individuals afford their Medicare benefits, including policies related to the COVID-19 emergency.
