Healthy Families Transition Timeline Stays on Track, Despite Concerns

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California Governor Jerry Brown’s administration says it will start moving about 860,000 children in the Healthy Families program into Medi-Cal on January 1st. But as Pauline Bartolone reports from Sacramento, state lawmakers and doctors want them to slow down.

Democratic Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg sent a message to the administration last week.  

“Do not make the actual transition unless you are assured that the child who has a doctor and sees a doctor under one program – HF’s – will be able to have ready access to a doctor when they’re shifted.”

But Rene Mollow of the Department of Health Care Services says it’s carefully planned the year-long transition to minimize disruption in care.

“We do have processes in place to help ensure that our plans are ready to accept these children.”

Mollow says some kids will be able to keep their doctors, others won’t.