California's May Budget Revision Misses Funding for Children's Medi-Cal

SACRAMENTO, CA. – A coalition of children's health organizations expressed frustration as the 2024-2025 May budget revision failed to include funding for the multi-year continuous enrollment protection for young children in Medi-Cal. The program, initiated to prevent coverage disruptions due to administrative issues, needed urgent funding to continue from January 2025.

This lack of funding risks the coverage of California's young residents under Medi-Cal amidst the dissipation of COVID-19-related protections. Notably, since the unwinding began in June 2023, over 80,500 children under the age of 6 lost their Medi-Cal coverage, largely due to procedural hiccups, despite remaining eligible.

The funding is pivotal as other states, including Oregon and Washington, move forward with similar health coverage policies. California's initiative is especially critical for health equity, given that three-fourths of the Medi-Cal children beneficiaries are children of color, predominantly Latine and Black, who are also disproportionately affected by pandemic-related disruptions.

The continuous coverage policy has significantly reduced the uninsured rate among children in California during public emergencies, highlighting the importance of persistent state support in child healthcare. Advocates urge the legislature to ensure the preservation of this vital healthcare support for children, which aligns with the state's strategic priorities in children's mental health and early development.