Health Advocate Blog

Analysis and Commentary

May 27, 2022
California’s Historic Medi-Cal Exclusion Removal for Older Adults Regardless of Immigration Status
Alicia Emanuel and Iván Barragan*
*Co-authored with Iván Barragan, CA Immigrant Policy CenterAs of May 1, 2022, California removed the exclusion to full-scope Medi-Cal…
May 20, 2022
Medi-Cal Coverage for Doula Care Requires Sustainable and Equitable Reimbursement to be Successful
Amy Chen and Allison Berquist*
In 2021, California included in the state budget funding to add full spectrum doula care as a new covered…
April 11, 2022
Fostering Maternal Health Equity Through Budget Reconciliation
Madeline Morcelle
Three Critical Opportunities for The Next PackageThe United States has the worst maternal mortality ratio among high-income countries. For…
April 5, 2022
NHeLP Expands “Medicaid Experiences” Project
Andy DiAntonio
Medicaid enrollees, their families/caregivers, and those seeking to enroll have unique and profound insights into the workings of the…
March 24, 2022
Medicaid Programs Need to Prepare Now for the End of the COVID Public Health Emergency
Jane Perkins
This article was originally published by The Network for Public Health Law.Barring a new COVID surge, all indications are that the Biden Administration…
March 9, 2022
Reducing Opioid Prescriptions Does Not Reduce Overdoses, but It Does Harm Low-Income Pain Patients
Cathren Cohen and Alexis Robles-Fradet
As opioid overdose rates reach an all-time high in the United States, much of the public discussion is dominated…
March 3, 2022
State Efforts to Deny Transgender Youth Gender-Affirming Care Hit Low-Income and At-Risk Youth the Hardest
Cathren Cohen, Abigail Coursolle, and Catherine McKee
In 2021, legislators introduced a record number of bills attacking transgender individuals, with many of the bills specifically designed…
March 1, 2022
California’s New Medi-Cal Reform Initiative presents an Opportunity for more Transparency and Accountability to Ensure Access to Mental Health Services
Abigail Coursolle and Kimberly Lewis
In December 2021, CMS approved California’s request for two waivers to implement its ambitious California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal…
February 23, 2022
Honoring Reproductive Justice Founders during Black History Month
Fabiola Carrión
During this Black History Month and year-round, the National Health Law Program commits to following the principles of reproductive…