California wants to use Medicaid dollars for housing

California officials are looking to the federal government to approve a plan that would allow the state's Medicaid program to pay for housing for some Medi-Cal members, the Los Angeles Times reported March 20. 

Federal regulators have approved similar programs in Arizona and Oregon. In California, where median rent is $3,000 a month, federal regulators are likely to be more scrutinizing of the program's effectiveness, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

The proposed program would pay for up to six months of rent for transitional housing for Medi-Cal members who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, as well as members transitioning from mental healthcare centers, incarceration or foster care. 

Vikki Wachino, former national Medicaid director in the Obama administration, told the Los Angeles Times regulators may question if housing support is Medicaid's job. 

"But there is a recognition that social factors like inadequate housing are driving health outcomes, and I think the federal government is open to developing approaches to try and address that," Ms. Wachino said. 

Read more here. 

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