Health Disparities Require Bolder Action On Medi-Cal Managed Care Contracts

By Christopher Perrone

As we start to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, California faces a critical question: Can the state also overcome the long-standing racial health disparities that were so painfully revealed as Californians of color disproportionately fell ill and died of the virus over the last 15 months?

To make any progress toward this goal, California must start with Medi-Cal. The program provides health coverage to 14 million Californians, 80% of whom are people of color and nearly 40% of whom report something other than English as their primary language.

The upcoming process to reprocure commercial . . .