Notwithstanding its own data supporting the health benefits to patients and the County Budget of a medical home model for the chronically ill and uninsured in Orange County as implemented through the County’s current LIHP/Welfare & Institutions Code Section 17000 program, and over the objections of hospitals and physicians, Orange County officials propose to abandon that care model going forward, forcing poor and uninsured individuals experiencing medical emergencies to seek care in costly hospital emergency departments in order to enroll in its future program.

Individuals with annual incomes of up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level – $22,980 – will be confronted with co-payments of $300. Co-payments will be deducted from payments to hospitals, whether or not they are collected.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors will consider the county’s new program on Dec. 17. For the above reasons and many more, hospitals are not currently supportive of the program, and some may opt not to participate as contracted facilities.

Contact: Julie Puentes
(714) 663-0294, jpuentes@hasc.org