1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am frustrated and concerned about the current state of healthcare in Northern California. Partnership, the managed care provider as of January 1, 2024, initially assured me that the change from California Health and Wellness would not affect my healthcare services with Partnership. However, within three months, many facilities, including the local hospital, are no longer covered due to a contract disagreement with Dignity Health. This limits access to healthcare disproportionately affecting those with fewer resources, as they are required to travel long distances for medical care. In my personal situation, as a cancer patient with limited energy, accessing necessary treatments would be incredibly difficult if my current oncology office is no longer covered. This situation is unacceptable, and intervention is needed to ensure that Medi-cal patients in rural areas have access to healthcare options. Recognizing the importance of rural healthcare differing from urban areas, it’s crucial to intervene and ensure that Medi-cal patients in rural areas have access to healthcare options to prevent potential acute illness (emergency room is still covered) and deaths resulting from the lack of healthcare access. I urge for attention and action to address this issue.