California residents face eviction as Health Net ends assisted living benefit
- Health Net, one of California’s largest Medi-Cal insurers, plans to end its assisted living benefit at the end of the year.
- About 3,500 Medi-Cal members are said to rely on the benefit to help pay assisted living costs, many of them elderly or living with dementia.
- Families and senior advocates warn that some residents could be forced out of facilities, moved into hospitals or nursing homes, or become unhoused.
- Health Net said affected members will keep coverage through their current authorization date and may be transitioned to other care settings or programs.
- State officials said they would work with Health Net to protect members and ensure continuity of care.
Health Net is ending an assisted living benefit for Medi-Cal members at the end of the year, affecting thousands of Californians who use the program to help cover care in board-and-care homes, memory care facilities and other assisted living settings. The benefit is optional, and plans can decide each year whether to continue offering it.
The change has caused alarm among family members and senior advocates, who say some residents may not be able to afford to stay in their current facilities. In the article, one family says an 89-year-old father with dementia could be displaced because his relatives cannot pay the monthly cost without insurance support.
Health Net said members will be covered through their current authorization dates and can be transitioned to nursing homes, home-based services or other available programs. The company said its internal data did not show better outcomes from the benefit and cited regulatory changes and program costs in its decision.
State regulators said they would communicate with Health Net to ensure member protections and continuity of care, while advocates warned that the termination could leave vulnerable residents in unstable housing situations.
Health Net取消辅助生活福利后，加州居民面临被驱逐风险
Health Net 将在年底终止面向 Medi-Cal 参保者的辅助生活福利，这将影响成千上万依赖该项目支付寄宿式护理、记忆照护及其他辅助生活机构费用的加州居民。该福利属于可选项目，保险计划每年都可以决定是否继续提供。
这一变化引发了家属和老年权益倡导者的担忧，他们表示，一些住户可能负担不起继续留在现有机构的费用。报道中提到，一名 89 岁、患有痴呆症的老人可能因此被迫搬离，因为家属在失去保险支持后无力承担每月费用。
Health Net 表示，受影响成员会在现有授权期内继续获得保障，并可能被转介到护理院、居家支持服务或其他可用项目。该公司称内部数据未显示该福利带来更好的结果，并将决定部分归因于监管变化和项目成本。
州监管部门表示，将与 Health Net 沟通，以确保成员保护和护理连续性；而倡导者警告，此次终止可能让脆弱住户面临不稳定的住房处境。