San Francisco Allocates $34 Million for Medi-Cal Losses as 25,000 to 50,000 Face Coverage Cuts
Updated
Updated · The Frisc · Aug 2
San Francisco Allocates $34 Million for Medi-Cal Losses as 25,000 to 50,000 Face Coverage Cuts
1 articles · Updated · The Frisc · Aug 2
Summary
$34 million in emergency city funds will finance more than 150 workers to help San Franciscans keep Medi-Cal or shift to other coverage as federal and state rule changes hit immigrants.
25,000 to 50,000 residents could lose Medi-Cal by the end of 2027, with the biggest projected impact coming from new work requirements that start Jan. 1, 2027 and can cut benefits after 30 days.
Healthy San Francisco is the city's main fallback for adults who lose insurance, but officials project it can add only about 8,000 people, leaving many outside the safety-net program.
The fiscal strain is also mounting: San Francisco's public health department expects to lose $62 million this year and $165 million next year in Medi-Cal reimbursements, rising to $400 million by 2038.
The cuts stem from Congress's HR 1 and California's follow-on restrictions, which already froze new enrollment for undocumented immigrants and will later scale back full coverage for refugees, asylees and other humanitarian immigrants.