06 Sep Contra Costa County Launches Expanded Basic Health Care Coverage

(Contra Costa Health Services via Bay City News)

By Michael J. Fitzgerald

Contra Costa Health this week announced it is offering affordable health care coverage to uninsured county residents who don’t qualify for Medi-Cal or Covered California, regardless of their immigration status.

Basic Health Care offers coverage for primary care, medications, X-rays and other medical needs. CCH has a list of covered benefits, limitations and exclusions. Members will also have 24/7 access to an advice nurse.

The new coverage is particularly expected to help undocumented residents.

Even though Medi-Cal has expanded its eligibility criteria to include undocumented people of all ages in California, some earn too much money to qualify, and their immigration status makes them ineligible for the Covered California program.

“We’re still seeing some people in our community fall through the cracks, unable to get health insurance,” Gilbert Salinas, chief equity officer for Contra Costa Health, said in a Thursday press release. “Basic Health Care will help fill that gap and give people access to medical care.”

>>>Read: Medi-Cal Expanded to All Undocumented Californians, but Income Limits Leave Many Out<<<

Undocumented residents have been eligible for public healthcare in Contra Costa, but that changed in 2009 when the county made legal status a requirement to qualify.

The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in April to rescind that requirement and make an estimated 10,000-plus undocumented county residents eligible for Basic Health Care.

To qualify, residents must have incomes below 300 % of the federal poverty level. (Income eligibility for Medi-Cal, on the other hand, only goes up to 138%.) One also cannot already be a member of an HMO or PPO health insurance plan.

Enrollees pay a quarterly premium on a sliding scale of up to $20 a month, depending on their income. That means the maximum annual cost for adults aged 19 and up is $240; for those 18 and under, $60.

For immigrants, enrollment in Basic Health Care will not be considered as part of the public charge test.

Enrollees in the program can access medical services at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and county outpatient health centers.

“By improving access to primary medical services through Basic Health Care, we aim to reduce unnecessary visits to local hospital emergency departments,” Salinas said.

Residents who believe they may qualify can call 1-800-771-4270 to talk with a counselor about enrolling. More information is available at the Basic Health Care webpage.