With major Medi-Cal eligibility changes taking effect in January 2027, CalOptima Health is investing $6.1 million in a countywide effort to help Orange County residents keep their health coverage.
The "Keep Your Medi-Cal, OC" campaign aims to reduce unnecessary coverage losses caused by paperwork mistakes, reporting issues, or uncertainty about eligibility.
Here's what to know
According to New Santa Ana, CalOptima Health's board approved $6.1 million for two programs: a Community Enrollers Academy, administered by the Community Health Initiative of Orange County, and a two-year pilot tied to new work and community engagement requirements.
Separate from the academy, the pilot could distribute up to $4 million, with up to four organizations receiving $500,000 per year. For the academy, groups that complete the three-month training can seek grants of up to $200,000 over two years. The program is expected to begin in April 2027.
When people lose insurance because they miss a form, fail to report income, or overlook a county notice, it can quickly become harder to keep up with routine care, prescriptions, and follow-up visits — even if they still qualify for coverage.
More background
The move follows years of expanding Medi-Cal access in California, including for low-income adults regardless of immigration status. CalOptima Health said statewide enrollment climbed past 15 million, while many beneficiaries are already navigating more eligibility reviews after pandemic-era continuous coverage protections expired.
Because CalOptima Health serves nearly 795,000 county residents, confusion about the new eligibility process could ripple through many local households. Under CalOptima Health's framework, some adults may need to document work, volunteer, education, or job-training activity while keeping income reporting up to date.
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What's being done?
A previous $7.1 million investment supports 14 Orange County organizations — including 2-1-1 Orange County, Providence Mission Hospital, Latino Health Access, and Council on Aging Southern California — that help residents enroll in Medi-Cal and renew their coverage.
The agency has also released a multilingual outreach toolkit with flyers, posters, social media materials, and other resources, according to New Santa Ana. Additional efforts under the broader $19 million Community Reinvestment Program are expected to include billboards, ads at bus shelters, online ads, social campaigns, educational videos, and broader community outreach.
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According to CalOptima Health, roughly $5.9 million is still set aside for other outreach work the board could approve through 2028.
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