ບ້ານ ຂ່າວ ລັດຄາລິຟໍເນຍເຮັດວຽກເພື່ອຂະຫຍາຍການສະໜັບສະໜູນສະມາຊິກ Medi-Cal ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນກະທົບຈາກໄຟໄໝ້ປ່າພາກໃຕ້ຂອງລັດຄາລິຟໍເນຍ​​ 

ຄາລິຟໍເນຍເຮັດວຽກເພື່ອຂະຫຍາຍການສະໜັບສະໜູນສະມາຊິກ Medi-Cal ທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນກະທົບຈາກໄຟໄໝ້ປ່າໃນພາກໃຕ້ຂອງຄາລິຟໍເນຍ​​ 

ມັງກອນ 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:​​ 

  • ສະຫນັບສະຫນູນຄລີນິກແລະສິ່ງອໍານວຍຄວາມສະດວກ:​​ 
    • ອະນຸຍາດໃຫ້ຄລີນິກໃຫ້ການດູແລໃນການຕັ້ງຄ່າທາງເລືອກ, ເຊັ່ນ: ຄລີນິກເຄື່ອນທີ່ ຫຼືສະຖານທີ່ຊົ່ວຄາວ, ເມື່ອສິ່ງອໍານວຍຄວາມສະດວກເບື້ອງຕົ້ນເສຍຫາຍ ຫຼື ເຂົ້າເຖິງບໍ່ໄດ້.​​ 
    • ອະນຸຍາດໃຫ້ຈ່າຍຄືນຢ່າງເຕັມທີ່ສໍາລັບການບໍລິການທີ່ສະຫນອງໃຫ້ຢູ່ໃນການຕັ້ງຄ່າການດູແລຊົ່ວຄາວ, ລວມທັງທີ່ພັກອາໄສແລະໂຮງແຮມ.​​ 
  • ການປົກປ້ອງເພີ່ມເຕີມສຳລັບສະມາຊິກ Medi-Cal:​​ 
    • ຂະຫຍາຍເວລາການຮ້ອງຂໍການໄຕ່ສວນຢ່າງຍຸຕິທຳ ແລະການສະເໜີຄືນຜົນປະໂຫຍດ, ໃຫ້ສະມາຊິກ Medi-Cal ໃຊ້ເວລາເພີ່ມເຕີມເພື່ອແກ້ໄຂບັນຫາການມີສິດ ຫຼືຜົນປະໂຫຍດ.​​ 
    • ປັບ​ປຸງ​ຂໍ້​ກໍາ​ນົດ​ການ​ບໍ​ລິ​ການ​ສຸ​ຂະ​ພາບ​ເຮືອນ​ເພື່ອ​ອະ​ນຸ​ຍາດ​ໃຫ້​ຄວາມ​ຊັກ​ຊ້າ​ໃນ​ການ​ປະ​ເຊີນ​ຫນ້າ​ຕໍ່​ຫນ້າ​ເນື່ອງ​ຈາກ​ຂໍ້​ຈໍາ​ກັດ​ໃນ​ປັດ​ຈຸ​ບັນ​.​​  
  • ການລົງທະບຽນ ແລະການຈ່າຍເງິນຄືນຂອງຜູ້ໃຫ້ບໍລິການ Medi-Cal:​​ 
    • ເລັ່ງລັດ ແລະປັບປຸງການລົງທະບຽນຂອງຜູ້ໃຫ້ບໍລິການ ເພື່ອເຮັດໃຫ້ມັນງ່າຍຂຶ້ນສຳລັບຜູ້ໃຫ້ບໍລິການໃນການສະເໜີການເບິ່ງແຍງສະມາຊິກທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນກະທົບ.​​ 
  • ຄວາມຍືດຫຍຸ່ນສໍາລັບການບໍລິການແລະການສະຫນັບສະຫນູນໄລຍະຍາວ (LTSS):​​ 
    • ຂະຫຍາຍກຳນົດເວລາສຳລັບການປະເມີນເບື້ອງຕົ້ນ, ການປະເມີນຄືນ, ແລະການທົບທວນແຜນການດູແລເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນການດູແລແບບບໍ່ຕິດຂັດສຳລັບບຸກຄົນທີ່ຕ້ອງການການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຢ່າງຕໍ່ເນື່ອງເນື່ອງຈາກອາຍຸ, ຄວາມພິການ, ຫຼືພະຍາດຊໍາເຮື້ອ.​​ 
    • ອະນຸຍາດໃຫ້ຈັດສົ່ງ LTSS ໃນສະຖານທີ່ທາງເລືອກ, ເຊັ່ນ: ທີ່ພັກອາໄສຫຼືໂຮງແຮມ.​​ 
  • ສ່ວນຂະຫຍາຍສຳລັບການລາຍງານ ແລະຂໍ້ຮຽກຮ້ອງຕ້ອງການ:​​ 
    • ໃຫ້ການຂະຫຍາຍການລາຍງານຂໍ້ມູນ ແລະ ການຍື່ນສະເໜີຂໍ້ຮຽກຮ້ອງ, ອະນຸຍາດໃຫ້ອົງການ ແລະ ສະຖາບັນການສຶກສາທ້ອງຖິ່ນທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນກະທົບໄດ້ຕາມກຳນົດເວລາ.​​ 
    • ອະນຸຍາດໃຫ້ແຜນສຸຂະພາບມີຄວາມຍືດຫຍຸ່ນຫຼາຍຂຶ້ນໃນການຕອບສະຫນອງຄວາມຕ້ອງການການລາຍງານເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນວ່າເຂົາເຈົ້າສາມາດສືບຕໍ່ຮັບໃຊ້ສະມາຊິກຖ້າໄຟໄຫມ້ປ່າລົບກວນການດໍາເນີນງານປົກກະຕິ. ການປັບຕົວລວມມີການປັບກົດລະບຽບກ່ຽວກັບວ່າສະມາຊິກອາດຈະຕ້ອງເດີນທາງໄກເທົ່າໃດ ແລະເຂົາເຈົ້າສາມາດເຂົ້າເຖິງ LTSS ໄດ້ໄວເທົ່າໃດ.​​ 

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.​​ 

ໂດຍຜ່ານຄວາມພະຍາຍາມປະສານງານກັບຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານຂອງລັດ, ທ້ອງຖິ່ນ, ລັດຖະບານກາງ, ແລະຊົນເຜົ່າ, DHCS ຮັບປະກັນວ່າການບໍລິການການດູແລສຸຂະພາບທີ່ສໍາຄັນຍັງຄົງສາມາດເຂົ້າເຖິງໄດ້ແລະທັນເວລາສໍາລັບບຸກຄົນທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຜົນກະທົບ. DHCS ນຳໃຊ້ຄວາມຊ່ຽວຊານຂອງທີມງານຂອງຕົນ ແລະ ຄວາມຍືດຫຍຸ່ນຂອງລະບຽບການສຸກເສີນເພື່ອແກ້ໄຂຄວາມຕ້ອງການທີ່ເປັນເອກະລັກຂອງຊຸມຊົນພາກໃຕ້ຂອງລັດຄາລິຟໍເນຍ, ຈາກການອໍານວຍຄວາມສະດວກໃນການເຂົ້າເຖິງການດູແລທາງການແພດ ແລະການບໍລິການສຸຂະພາບທາງດ້ານພຶດຕິກໍາ ເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນການມີຢາ ແລະອຸປະກອນການແພດທີ່ທົນທານ.​​ 

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.​​  

ຂໍ້​ມູນ​ເພີ່ມ​ເຕີມ​: ຊັບ​ພະ​ຍາ​ກອນ​ແລະ​ການ​ປັບ​ປຸງ​ແມ່ນ​ມີ​ຢູ່​ໃນ​ການ​ເຊື່ອມ​ຕໍ່​ຕໍ່​ໄປ​ນີ້​:​​ 

ຂໍຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອໃນມື້ນີ້:​​ 

  • Californians can visit CA.gov/LAfires, a hub for information and resources from state, local, and federal governments.​​ 
  • ບຸກຄົນ ແລະ ເຈົ້າຂອງທຸລະກິດທີ່ຍືນຍົງຕໍ່ການສູນເສຍຈາກໄຟໄຫມ້ປ່າສາມາດຮ້ອງຂໍການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອໄພພິບັດ:​​ 
  • ອອນໄລນ໌ຢູ່ DisasterAssistance.gov.​​ 
  • ໂດຍໂທຫາ 800-621-3362.​​ 
  • ໂດຍ​ການ​ນໍາ​ໃຊ້ ຄໍາ​ຮ້ອງ​ສະ​ຫມັກ ​ໂທລະ​ສັບ​ສະ​ຫຼາດ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) .​​ 
  • ການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອແມ່ນມີຢູ່ໃນຫຼາຍກວ່າ 40 ພາສາ.​​ 
  • ຖ້າທ່ານໃຊ້ບໍລິການສົ່ງຕໍ່, ເຊັ່ນ: ການບໍລິການຖ່າຍທອດວິດີໂອ, ການບໍລິການໂທລະສັບທີ່ມີຄໍາບັນຍາຍ, ຫຼືອື່ນໆ, ໃຫ້ FEMA ຈໍານວນສໍາລັບການບໍລິການນັ້ນ.​​ 

###​​ 

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