Publications

The Children''s Partnership joins a coalition of child advocates to ensure that children with autism do not lose access to critical behavioral health services after their transition from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal. “The state needs to address this urgent situation immediately and ensure children in Medi-Cal receive medically necessary behavioral health therapies,” said Wendy Lazarus, Founder & Co-President of The Children’s Partnership. “Because of this serious problem, the state should not move forward with any future phases of the Healthy Families transition until the issue is resolved and continuity of care can be assured.”

Download the full press release here. (pdf)

Jenny Kattlove, Director, Strategic Health Initiatives presented "Fix Medi-Cal Dental Coverage:  Half of California's Kids Depend On It" to the San Luis Obispo Children's Oral Health Coalition, San Luis Obispo, CA. 

Download slides from the presentation here. (pdf)

Download TCP's submitted comments to CMS on the proposed Online and Paper Model Applications, CMS-10440.

The Children's Partnership signed-on with other child advocates to support the elimination of a waiting period currently under the Proposed Rule pertaining to Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Programs, and Exchanges, CMS-2234-P. 

Download the full letter here.

California Healthline

The Heathy Families transition started Jan. 1, moving 197,000 children to Medi-Cal managed care plans. So far, according to DHCS officials, the telephone complaint hotline has been pretty quiet. "That's what we're trying to assess right now," said Kristen Golden Testa, director of the California Health Program for The Children's Partnership. She said several provider groups are conducting surveys of their members to see what providers are experiencing, and that data hasn't come in yet. "I'm not sure I would rely on the call center and complaint lines because on the ground is where we'll hear it," she said. 

Download the full article here.

California plans to start moving children from the Healthy Families Program into Medi-Cal on January 1. The Children's Partnership joins other advocates to highlight the importance of assuring children’s health care is not disrupted.

“The health of the 875,000 children who will move from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal, as well as the nearly 3.7 million children currently in enrolled in Medi-Cal, depends on the success of this transition. All eyes will be on the state. We and families across California are counting on state officials to track and quickly resolve any problems that arise,” said Wendy Lazarus, Founder and Co-President of The Children’s Partnership.

Download the full press release here. 

California Healthline

State health officials will go on as scheduled with the first phase of the Healthy Families transition to Medi-Cal managed care, beginning January 1, 2013. Children's health advocates say they will do everything to support that effort while still keeping a careful eye on its progress.

"The signs are the Brown Administration will proceed with this, so the attention has to be on how to monitor what's happening," says Wendy Lazrus, founder and co-president of The Children's Partnership.

Download the article with her full comments here. 

California Watch

As 870,000 children are moved from the Healthy Families Program to Medi-Cal beginning January 1, 2013, children's advocates express concern about children having access to care. "Our worry is that there seems to be an intention to proceed with these transitions without that certainty that the doctors will be there to meet all these kids," said Kathleen Hamilton, director of governmental affairs with the Children's Partnership.

Download the full article. (PDF)

The Children's Partnership signed-on with NHeLP and other California child advocate organizations to voice comments and concerns about California's Section 1115 Waiver Amendment Request regarding the Children's Health Insurance Program Transition to Medicaid Program. 

Download the letter here . 

California Healthline, Capitol Desk

Wendy Lazarus, Founder and Co-President, responds to last week's action in California: 415,000 notices were sent to inform Healthy Families participants they will need to switch to Medi-Cal managed care plans on January 1.

"Stakeholders are not against the transition, but are concerned about the speed at which changes take place. When so many providers and consumers are forming opinions about Medi-Cal managed care and about health care reform in general, it's important this transition does not cause undue concern." Ms. Lazarus continues, "With a little more due diligence, it can be done better. If it's premature at the start of it, that could plant questions in the minds of the public to implement health reform. It just needs a little more time to make it right."

Download the full article.