Thanks to expanded eligibility under Obamacare, nearly 1 million California children have enrolled in the Medi-Cal program over the last two years. Almost half of California children now have Medi-Cal coverage.
But finding a doctor who's willing to treat them can be a challenge because the Medi-Cal program pays doctors some of the lowest Medicaid rates in the nation.
A report from the California HealthCare Foundation finds only 57 percent of primary care doctors treat new Medi-Cal patients.
San Diego pediatric endocrinologist Sherry Franklin said she can’t afford to see many kids on Medi-Cal.
"When you’re being paid $50, I can’t even pay to keep my IT up for that," Franklin said. "And I have to be able to pull in at least enough, even if I’m doing pro bono work, to pay the overhead. And you just can’t.”
Medi-Cal officials said they don’t see widespread problems with access to care, or a need to raise doctors’ rates.
