Minutes after Congress approved Republicans’ sweeping bill to cut taxes and slash Medicaid, sending the proposal on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law, the parent group of Shasta County’s top Medicaid health care provider had a message for the health plan’s members.
Hold tight.
Dustin Lyda, spokesperson for Partnership HealthPlan of California, said in a statement that “We don’t expect immediate changes to the program for the majority of Medi-Cal enrollees. Partnership will continue to fully administer the Medi-Cal program until the state provides guidance on any changes.”
More: No Medicaid cuts for Redding, Shasta County right now. But health care execs are worried
He called it “critical” that Partnership members keep their Medi-Cal coverage, keep their doctor appointments and continue filling their prescriptions. “Wait until you receive information from the state or Partnership before taking any action on your coverage,” Lyda’s statement said.
He added: “Many of the proposed Medicaid cuts have different implementation dates and how they will be implemented is not fully known at this time. The specifics of Congress’ cuts to Medicaid have been rapidly evolving, therefore Partnership believes it is prudent to not speculate, but remain engaged, informed, and prepared to make program adjustments once we have clarity and direction from the state.”
Also, the company said, people can still apply to Medi-Cal under its current rules.
Medi-Cal’s importance to the North State
Medicaid is a crucial safety net health care provider for low-income and some disabled people. Both California and the federal government share Medicaid’s costs.
Throughout the North state, the nonprofit Partnership HealthPlan of California manages benefits for Medi-Cal, the program that administers Medicaid benefits.
In Shasta County, Partnership enrolls 66,000 individuals, or approximately 37% of the population.
The percentage is higher in Siskiyou County, where 43% of the population, or 19,073 people, were members of Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, according to 2024 statistics from the UC Berkely Labor Center.
On a statewide basis, 38% of residents are enrolled in Medi-Cal, according to the labor center’s research.
In Partnership’s 24-county service area, Lyda said in an earlier statement, there are 22,000 health care providers and 89 hospitals. “Any reductions to Medicaid would hit their bottom line, which could impact access to care for all residents,” Lyda said.
Partnership members with questions about their coverage should call Member Services at 800-863-4155.
The 218-214 House vote on July 3 came after a full day of negotiations July 2, an overnight debate and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, delivering the longest House speech on record.
Trump is scheduled to sign the bill into law on July 4 at the White House, a move locking in tax reductions, Medicaid cuts and other provisions.
Michele Chandler covers public safety, dining and whatever else comes up for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Accepts story tips at 530-338-7753 and at mrchandler@gannett.com. Please support our entire newsroom’s commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Partnership HealthPlan urges Shasta, Siskiyou members to hold tight