Gov. Gavin Newsom made a commitment two years ago to update a Medi-Cal rule that forces thousands of seniors and people with disabilities to choose between health care and paying for food and bills.
The fix did not happen because of last year’s budget shortfall. Now aging and health advocates are back with a request to finally revise what they say is an unfair and outdated rule hurting some of the state’s most vulnerable residents.
“It has been a disappointment for a lot of people,” said Tiffany Huyenh-Cho, a staff attorney with Justice in Aging, one of the organizations advocating for this change. “There was a light at the end of the tunnel that the share of cost was going to be fixed and more people would be able to access care, but due to budget reasons, it’s not happening, but the need is still there.”