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Linda Sánchez Statement on California Medicare-Medicaid Demonstration Postponement (Aug. 19, 2013)

August 19, 2013

Washington, DC – Today,Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-38) issued the following statement after the State of California, in conjunction with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), issued its decision to postpone the MediCal/Medicare dual eligible demonstration project until April 2014.

 

"I am pleased that California will be taking more time to work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to make sure that dually eligible beneficiaries receive the quality care they deserve," said Congresswoman Sánchez. "It is crucial that our seniors and people with disabilities continue to receive all the medical care they need through Medicare and the MediCal program. I continue to hope that California and CMS can develop a demonstration plan that addresses long-term solvency without sacrificing the quality of care for the most vulnerable Californians."

 

In June, Congresswoman Sánchez led a letter with 13 Los Angeles-area Members of Congress to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services expressing serious concerns with California's current plan to combine services and funding provided by Medicare and the MediCal program. In the letter to Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, Congresswoman Sánchez and Members of Congress asked for more review of the Los Angeles County MediCal/Medicare dual eligible demonstration project to ensure that hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles County residents keep crucial health care options.

 

Click here to see to the letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

 

Background

In 2010, the monthly average of Californians who are both eligible for the Medi-Cal program and the federal Medicare program was 1.1 million. In Los Angeles County, the monthly average of dual eligible residents is 370,000. Dual eligible patients are typically economically disadvantaged seniors and persons with disabilities.

           

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