The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an agreement with the State of California this week that will ensure county funds are matched federally, dollar for dollar, for providing medical services to the uninsured. HASC supported the action.

State law directs counties to establish programs for meeting the emergency medical needs of the otherwise uninsured. Orange County’s Medical Services Initiative (MSI) fulfills this requirement and serves as the vehicle for providing pre-hospital medical services to this population so that hospitalizations can be minimized.

The agreement approved this week between the County and the State will implement the Low Income Health Program in Orange County, a program that is part of the state’s Medi-Cal Waiver. The Board’s action will ensure that the County receives $24 million in matching funds for medical services provided retroactive to November 2010 and a total of $61 million in matching funds for the 2011-2012 program year.

HASC, the Board of Supervisors and County staff have been working diligently for the past few years to address funding shortfalls in the MSI program that have threatened access to care.