San Diego County is taking a big step to help residents without insurance. The Board of Supervisors recently voted to revamp the County Medical Services (CMS) program. This program is crucial for those who can’t afford medical care but don’t qualify for Medi-Cal.
Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe are leading the charge. They argue that the CMS program is too restrictive. It currently has strict age and income limits, and they want to change that. Here’s what they plan to focus on:
– Making eligibility rules more flexible
– Removing property lien requirements
– Expanding application options to include virtual formats
– Reviewing what services the program covers
– Analyzing how cost-sharing affects patients
– Looking at costs to modernize the program
These changes aim to make CMS more accessible and effective. The supervisors noted that San Diego’s CMS is the most limiting among California’s large counties.
One concern came from Supervisor Jim Desmond, who voted against the plan. He believed the proposal should have gone through a formal process for transparency. Desmond also highlighted the need for public input, especially for the 550,000 residents in unincorporated areas who might not have easy access to healthcare.
The urgency for reform stems from recent federal changes. The U.S. House Resolution 1 will cut Medicaid funding and tighten eligibility starting in January 2027. This could lead to hundreds of thousands of low-income individuals losing Medi-Cal coverage, pushing them to rely more on emergency rooms.
Montgomery Steppe expressed that the outdated CMS system is no longer acceptable. As more residents lose coverage, maintaining old barriers is not an option. This sentiment was echoed by several hospital officials and community activists during the public comment period, stressing the importance of patient protection.
Lindsey Wade, a senior vice president at the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, emphasized the need for these changes, particularly as emergency rooms are seeing more patients than ever.
In this context, reforming the CMS program could not only improve healthcare access for many but also ease the burden on local hospitals. The board plans to present the proposed changes within 60 days after the fiscal year 2026-27 budget is adopted. The time to act is now.
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Medi-Cal,monica montgomery steppe,San Diego County Board of Supervisors,Terra Lawson-Remer
