Member Driven.
Date:
February 15, 2017
To:
Outreach, Enrollment and Retention Peer Network
From:
Joanne Preece and Alex Medina, Government and External Affairs
Re:
Post-Election Talking Points for Enrollers
Patient Focused.
This memo provides talking points for enrollers when talking to patients about health coverage following the election.
GENERAL HEALTH CENTERS
 Changes in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento take time; they do not happen overnight.
 We will keep you aware of any changes that might affect you and/or your family’s health care.
 Community health centers have been providing health care in communities like ours for more than 50 years. In that
time we have seen health care programs change a lot. Through it all, we have been there for our patients.
MY HEALTH LA (MHLA)
 MHLA is a LA County program; the federal or state governments cannot change, defund or end the program.
 There are currently no discussions in LA County to change the eligibility requirements for MHLA or close the MHLA
program. We are encouraging people to enroll and renew as normal.
MEDI-CAL
 Currently there are no changes to the Medi-Cal program, including the recent Health4All Kids/SB 75 Expansion.
 Medi-Cal enrollment is year round. We are encouraging people to apply and renew as normal.
COVERED CA
 Health plan benefits and rates are set and will not change for 2017. Covered CA will continue to offer health
insurance plans and financial assistance.
 Covered CA open enrollment ended January 31. People with a qualifying life event can enroll year round as normal.
MEDICARE
 Nothing has changed to-date with regard to the Medicare program.
 Even if the new administration is interested in moving forward with Medicare changes, Medicare is a very popular
program, especially with voters. Reforming the program is not likely to be fast or easy.
 If California makes minor changes to the CalMediConnect program (for Medicare & Medi-Cal eligible) changes would
not take effect until after the state budget is finalized this summer.
HELP WITH YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE
 If you are having problems with your Medi-Cal or Covered California application or renewal, Neighborhood Legal
Services (NLS) can help. Contact NLS at http://www.nlsla.org/contact-us/ or 800-896-3202.
IMMIGRATION
During the first weeks of the new administration, the President signed several executive orders impacting immigration.
Among other things, the orders direct the building of a wall along the border, increase numbers of immigration agents,
make changes to immigration enforcement strategy, threaten to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities and halt
immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.
In addition to those orders already released, there are a number of rumored executive orders that, if released, could
impact health care access, LGBT rights and immigrant populations. Please remember that until an order is signed we
must continue to work in the current policy environment as it is now. We recommend that members refrain from
commenting publicly on unreleased executive orders until their final language and impact can be assessed.
Immigration enforcement activities and arrests recently carried out by federal immigration officials in Southern
California are adding to already heightened anxiety over the new administration’s promised crackdown on illegal
immigration. Federal officials also maintain that the arrests were part of routine activities, not tied to any new ramp up.
Protecting immigrants’ ability to access to health care services is a high priority for health centers, patient and immigrant
advocates, and California’s elected leaders. A number of laws are working their way through the legislature that will
provide additional protections. In addition, health center associations are working with partners at immigrant rights and
legal organizations to provide training and resources to help clinics and clinic staff support and protect their patients.
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TALKING POINTS
Medi-Cal and Covered CA are prevented by current federal and state laws from sharing information. All application
information is private, confidential and used strictly for eligibility purposes.
In LA County, the MHLA Program and community clinics do not share information on MHLA enrollees with law
enforcement or federal immigration enforcement agencies. Information is for eligibility purposes only.
RESOURCES
The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) Community Education Resources:
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Know Your Rights – Available in English, Español, Chinese: Traditional or Simplified, Arabic, and Korean
Know Your Rights - When Encountering Law Enforcement (includes: Everyone Has Certain Basic Rights, No Matter
Who Is President, What to Do If You’re Stopped by Police, Immigration Agents, or the FBI, Know Your Rights When
Encountering Law Enforcement)
Know Your Rights – During Immigration Raids (includes: How to Be Prepared for an Immigration Raid, Community
Raid Preparedness Checklist, Rights During Immigration Raids, Community Resource Kit: Information on ICE
Enforcement, Detention, and Deportation)
Know Your Rights - Other Immigration Enforcement (includes: Rights Card/Tarjeta de Derechos, Know Your Rights
at Home and at Work, Know Your Rights in California, Know Your Patients’ and Your Rights, What to Do if You Are
Arrested or Detained by Immigration, Immigration Detention and Removal: A Guide for Detainees and Their
Families, Know Your Rights if You Have Been Arrested or Detained by the U.S. Government)
CHIRLA – Know Your Rights Video: https://youtu.be/5_Z_Z5tSsUs
If you need help regarding your immigration status or options, please refer to [CLINIC’S LEGAL REFERRAL AGENCY],
http://ailalawyer.com/, or https://www.weownthedream.org/legalhelp
700 South Flower Street, Suite 3150. Los Angeles. C.A. 90017
T (213) 201-6500. F (213) 553-9324. www.ccalac.org