Santa Clara County, California, is preparing for increased pressure on its 911 emergency response system. This follows recent federal Medicaid cuts and stricter eligibility rules. At a Finance and Government Operations Committee meeting, Nick Clay, the county’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) director, said that the loss of health coverage for many residents could affect emergency care and ambulance response times.
About 465,000 people in Santa Clara County, or one in four residents, use Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal in California. Federal funding reductions through H.R. 1 and new eligibility criteria may cause nearly a quarter of California’s Medicaid enrollees to lose coverage. Clay stated that EMS providers will face financial challenges from delayed and reduced reimbursements. He also noted that many residents losing access to basic and preventive care is a larger concern.
As more people lose coverage, they may skip routine medical visits and only seek help when their conditions become serious. This could increase reliance on 911 and emergency rooms. Clay said that if clinics and urgent care centers become crowded or hard to access, more residents will use emergency services. This may put pressure on ambulance companies, which rely on insurance reimbursements, and strain the emergency care system…