Tsev Xov xwm California Ua Haujlwm Txhawb Nqa Rau Cov Tswv Cuab Medi-Cal Uas Cuam Tshuam Los Ntawm Cov Hluav Taws Kub Hav Zoov Hauv Southern California​​ 

California ua hauj lwm los nthuav kev txhawb nqa rau Medi-Cal cov tswv cuab cuam tshuam los ntawm Southern California Wildfires​​ 

Lub Ib Hlis 17, 2025​​ 

SACRAMENTO — In response to the devastating Southern California wildfires and Governor Gavin Newsom’s proclaimed State of Emergency and Executive Order issued on January 7, 2025, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) swiftly implemented key administrative flexibilities to protect Medi-Cal members in affected regions of the state. These efforts include simplified Medi-Cal enrollment and renewal processes, waived requirements to access prescription medications and medical devices, and other flexibilities to ensure all Medi-Cal members have access to care during this emergency.​​ 

Help for Medi-Cal members in Los Angeles County and Ventura County includes:​​ 

  • Simple renewal and enrollment: Simplified Medi-Cal enrollment and renewal processes to allow families to quickly secure or maintain Medi-Cal coverage. Allowed for self-attestation for residency and income if documentation is missing, and verification deadlines are extended. Local county offices are prioritizing Medi-Cal applications and any case restorations for affected Medi-Cal members, who are encouraged to contact their local clinic navigators or local county office if assistance is needed to resolve eligibility issues.​​ 
  • Fast refills for pharmacy and medical equipment: Waived prescription signature requirements for Medi-Cal members. Released a provider alert to allow for early refill authorizations and emergency override of existing utilization management and prior authorization controls to facilitate expedited access to medications and pharmacy products to ensure timely care.​​ 
  • Prioritized member transfers if moving out of Los Angeles or Ventura counties: Medi-Cal members who are displaced for an unknown amount of time may contact either their former county of residence or the new county to assist with transferring the case on a permanent or short-term basis. Members can visit the DHCS website to find their local county office.​​ 
  • Emergency response protocols: Medi-Cal managed care plans that operate in the areas subject to the emergency, including L.A. Care Health Plan, Health Net, Molina Healthcare, Gold Coast Health Plan, Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, Senior Care Action Network, and Positive Healthcare California (AIDS Healthcare Foundation), have activated their emergency response protocols. Protocols include deploying care management teams to conduct member outreach, especially for high needs populations; waiving prior authorization requirements; working to provide transportation to care; and ensuring members do not face any out-of-pocket costs for getting care from out-of-network providers, as needed.​​ 

DHCS understands recovering from these wildfires will be challenging and has developed an online resource to help answer Medi-Cal member questions about accessing services during this emergency.​​ 

Current flexibilities for Medi-Cal managed care plans and providers include:​​ 

  • Behavioral health services: Ensured relocated clients from evacuated facilities receive continuous care, with licensing and certification flexibilities supporting affected treatment programs.​​ 
  • Provider support: Extended reporting and administrative deadlines, enabling Medi-Cal providers to prioritize care delivery until the end of the emergency.​​ 
  • Managed care flexibility: Waived prior authorizations and referral requirements for applicable services to help Medi-Cal managed care plans and their network providers deliver timely care to members affected by evacuations and service disruptions.​​ 

Additionally, DHCS submitted requests to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help Californians covered by Medi-Cal impacted by the Southern California wildfires. Section 1135 of the Social Security Act provides flexibility during national public health emergencies.​​ 

“At DHCS, our members are our top priority, and our hearts go out to the families affected by the Southern California wildfires,” said DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “We are working closely with CMS to obtain speedy federal approvals for flexibilities to help our state and Medi-Cal members meet the challenges posed by the wildfires. We will continue to issue guidance to providers so they can quickly take advantage of the new flexibilities to deliver quality, equitable health care to Southern Californian Medi-Cal members.”​​ 

Significant additional flexibilities requested by DHCS include:​​ 

  • Kev them nyiaj yug rau chaw kho mob thiab chaw:​​ 
    • Tso cai rau cov chaw kho mob xa cov kev saib xyuas hauv lwm qhov chaw, xws li chaw kho mob mobile lossis chaw nyob ib ntus, thaum cov chaw tseem ceeb raug puas los yog nkag tsis tau.​​ 
    • Tso cai them rov qab tag nrho rau cov kev pabcuam hauv cov chaw saib xyuas ib ntus, suav nrog cov chaw nyob thiab tsev so.​​ 
  • Kev tiv thaiv ntxiv rau Medi-Cal cov tswv cuab:​​ 
    • Txuas ntxiv sijhawm rau kev thov kom muaj kev sib hais ncaj ncees thiab rov hais dua cov txiaj ntsig, muab Medi-Cal cov tswv cuab ntxiv sij hawm los daws teeb meem kev tsim nyog lossis cov txiaj ntsig.​​ 
    • Kho cov kev pabcuam kev noj qab haus huv hauv tsev kom tso cai ncua sijhawm ntawm kev sib ntsib tim ntsej tim muag vim muaj kev txwv tam sim no.​​  
  • Medi-Cal tus kws kho mob sau npe thiab them nyiaj rov qab:​​ 
    • Ua kom nrawm thiab ua kom yooj yim rau kev tso npe tus kws kho mob kom yooj yim rau cov kws kho mob muab kev saib xyuas rau cov tswv cuab cuam tshuam.​​ 
  • Flexibility rau cov kev pabcuam mus sij hawm ntev thiab kev txhawb nqa (LTSS):​​ 
    • Txuas ntxiv sijhawm rau kev ntsuam xyuas thawj zaug, kev ntsuam xyuas dua, thiab kev tshuaj xyuas cov phiaj xwm saib xyuas kom ntseeg tau tias kev saib xyuas tsis muaj kev cuam tshuam rau cov tib neeg uas xav tau kev txhawb nqa tsis tu ncua vim hnub nyoog, kev tsis taus, lossis mob ntev.​​ 
    • Tso cai xa khoom ntawm LTSS hauv lwm qhov chaw, xws li chaw nyob lossis tsev so.​​ 
  • Extensions rau kev tshaj tawm thiab thov cov kev xav tau:​​ 
    • Muab kev txuas ntxiv rau kev tshaj tawm cov ntaub ntawv thiab cov ntaub ntawv thov, tso cai rau cov koom haum hauv zos thiab cov tsev kawm ntawv cuam tshuam kom tau raws li hnub kawg.​​ 
    • Tso cai rau cov phiaj xwm kev noj qab haus huv tau yooj yim dua hauv kev ua kom tau raws li qhov yuav tsum tau ua kom paub tseeb tias lawv tuaj yeem ua haujlwm txuas ntxiv rau cov tswv cuab yog tias hluav taws kub hnyiab cuam tshuam kev ua haujlwm ib txwm muaj. Kev hloov kho suav nrog kev kho cov cai hais txog qhov deb npaum li cas cov tswv cuab yuav xav tau mus rau kev saib xyuas thiab sai npaum li cas lawv tuaj yeem nkag mus rau LTSS.​​ 

DHCS is dedicated to safeguarding the health and well-being of Medi-Cal members and communities suffering from the devastating effects of the Southern California wildfires. DHCS’ purpose extends beyond routine health care services, focusing on proactive planning, rapid response, and continuous support in the face of challenges like these wildfires.​​ 

Los ntawm kev sib koom tes nrog lub xeev, hauv zos, tsoomfwv, thiab Pab Pawg Pab Pawg, DHCS ua kom cov kev pabcuam kev noj qab haus huv tseem ceeb tseem siv tau thiab sijhawm sijhawm rau cov tib neeg cuam tshuam. DHCS siv cov kev txawj ntse ntawm nws pab pawg thiab kev hloov pauv ntawm cov kev cai xwm txheej kub ntxhov los daws cov kev xav tau tshwj xeeb ntawm Southern California cov zej zog, los ntawm kev pab txhawb kev nkag mus rau kev kho mob thiab kev coj tus cwj pwm kev noj qab haus huv kom ntseeg tau tias muaj cov tshuaj thiab cov khoom siv kho mob ntev.​​ 

BACKGROUND: On January 8, 2025, in response to the catastrophic wildfires in Southern California, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of California in the areas affected by wildfires. On January 10, 2025, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a public health emergency for California, granting CMS additional flexibility to address the health needs of impacted individuals. These measures were made possible through extensive preparedness planning and proactive emergency response protocols. These efforts underscore a strong state and federal partnership, ensuring uninterrupted care and services during this emergency.​​ 

DHCS administers Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid, providing health coverage to nearly 15 million people, including nearly 4 million members in Los Angeles County and more than 250,000 members in Ventura County.​​ 

DHCS encourages all affected residents to follow local evacuation orders, monitor air quality, and wear masks outdoors, if needed. If Medi-Cal members need assistance, they should contact their health care provider or plan.​​  

NYEEM NTXIV: Cov peev txheej thiab cov kev hloov tshiab muaj nyob rau ntawm qhov txuas hauv qab no:​​ 

Tau txais kev pab hnub no:​​ 

  • Californians can visit CA.gov/LAfires, a hub for information and resources from state, local, and federal governments.​​ 
  • Cov tib neeg thiab cov tswv lag luam uas txhawb nqa kev poob ntawm hluav taws kub hnyiab tuaj yeem thov kev pab cuam kev puas tsuaj:​​ 
  • Online ntawm DisasterAssistance.gov.​​ 
  • Hu rau 800-621-3362.​​ 
  • Los ntawm kev siv Tsoom Fwv Teb Chaws Kev Tswj Xyuas Kev Kub Ceev (FEMA) daim ntawv thov smartphone .​​ 
  • Kev pab muaj ntau dua 40 yam lus.​​ 
  • Yog tias koj siv cov kev pabcuam xa tawm, xws li kev pabcuam video relay, kev pabcuam xovtooj, lossis lwm yam, muab FEMA tus lej rau qhov kev pabcuam ntawd.​​ 

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Hu rau:​​ 
Office of Communications
(916) 440-7660
www.dhcs.ca.gov​​