Medi-Cal is a public health insurance program that provides needed medical services to children, parents, seniors, adults with disabilities, and pregnant women.
The state’s Medicaid program serves nearly 14 million individuals across California. The largest group consists of children and parents. Others include adults under 65 who gained eligibility under the ACA, seniors and people with disabilities.
Preventive Care
Preventive care is a type of medical care that focuses on preventing health conditions. It includes yearly checkups, physical exams, screenings, immunizations, and other services that help you stay healthy by identifying problems early.
A significant benefit of preventive care is that it can save a lot of money by catching diseases at their earliest stages and treating them before they become serious health problems.
There are many different preventive services, so it’s important to talk to your doctor and find out what is covered. These preventive services can include annual checkups, yearly blood tests, screenings for high cholesterol and other conditions, and certain immunizations.
These services are essential for maintaining good health and reducing your chances of developing chronic disease. In addition, regular checkups and screenings can help you avoid common illnesses. You can get many of these services at no cost as one of many Medi-Cal benefits, as long as they are recommended for your age and gender.
Mental Health
While many people associate mental health with the absence of mental illness, mental well-being is a complex and vital aspect of physical and emotional health. It influences how people interact with others, make decisions and cope with stress.
Poor mental health can significantly disrupt an individual’s life. It can affect their work, relationships with family and friends, social interaction, and even their ability to keep up with daily activities.
One in every five individuals suffers from a mental ailment, and one in every ten has a serious mental disease that interferes with important life activities. Yet, when people get help from mental health services, they usually find their lives improving.
Getting treatment for mental illnesses can be hard, but it’s also essential for individuals and their families. It can help them learn to cope with their symptoms, improve their mental health and prevent self-harm or suicide.
A primary care clinician, psychiatrist, or other mental health clinicians can provide a variety of treatments that aim to improve an individual’s mental health, including counseling, therapy, and medication. These treatments may involve changing how an individual thinks and reacts to stressful situations.
Medicaid coverage of behavioral health services can be crucial in recovery for individuals with severe mental illness. These services include medically necessary inpatient hospitals, outpatient hospitals, and rural health clinic care. In addition, some states also offer home health and nursing facility services for mental health and substance use disorders.
Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs are essential to maintaining or improving health. Many use them to treat various conditions, including chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In addition to reducing symptoms, they can also help to manage side effects and prevent disease.
Among the most common prescription drug uses are pain medications, antidepressants, and sedatives. However, some medicines have a high risk of abuse and addiction.
To ensure the safety of those receiving Medicaid, all drugs prescribed by physicians are subject to strict regulations, known as schedules or controlled substances.
It is a large amount of money for many people, especially when they don’t have health insurance. It can make it difficult for some to afford their medication.
As a result, most states have a prescription drug benefit through their Medicaid programs. These benefits may include coverage for outpatient prescriptions and other medical supplies, vision care, dental care, and long-term care in nursing homes.
Dental Care
Dental care can significantly improve an individual’s overall health. Good oral health promotes a healthy body and strong self-esteem and can reduce the risk of developing other medical conditions.
Many states offer dental benefits to Medicaid enrollees as part of a comprehensive set of medical and dental benefits called the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. This coverage includes oral screening by a provider and a referral to a dentist.
Medi-Cal covers preventive dental services, such as bi-annual checkups and cleanings, x-rays, emergency services, tooth removal, fillings, and fluoride treatments. For children, the EPSDT benefit also includes preventive oral health services, such as dental sealants.
Almost all Medicare Advantage enrollees have some dental coverage as part of their plan. However, the scope of benefits varies widely among programs.
Dental clinics are affordable for those without insurance, offering many of the same dental services as Medicaid plans. They also often provide free or low-cost care to children covered under Medicaid.
Vision Care
Having your eyes examined and having suitable eyeglasses for your needs is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can prevent severe vision problems, detect chronic health conditions early, and help you avoid costly medical procedures.
Many health insurance plans include a vision benefit, but it can vary widely from plan to plan and from insurer to insurer. Some plans cover a fixed amount of expenses for vision care, while others offer unlimited benefits.
If your employer offers a group vision plan, you can benefit through payroll deductions or a flexible spending account (FSA). These accounts let you to set aside pre-tax dollars for certain health-related costs, including co-pays and deductibles, prescription drugs, eye exams, and glasses.
Some employers also offer stand-alone vision plans to reduce employees’ out-of-pocket expenses for health care services. These stand-alone plans are often less expensive than traditional health insurance policies.
However, you should check your policy carefully to ensure it meets your expectations. Depending on the type of plan you purchase, you might receive only some of the benefits you expect or be required to pay an initial enrollment fee before receiving your first coverage.
Another thing to remember is that if you have a chronic illness or are at high risk of developing a disease, consider a plan that covers more than routine vision care.
If you are a low-income individual or a family with limited income and resources, you should strongly consider applying for Medi-Cal. Among other benefits, Medi-Cal includes free or low-cost eye care services. It can also cover some of the cost of eyeglasses for children under 19 if they are eligible.
