Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
San Francisco saw the storm coming and started building the roof early.
Federal Medicaid cuts arrive in July 2027, with new eligibility rules landing this January. Instead of waiting, the city committed $77 million for drug treatment and mental health services and set aside another $34 million in reserve — $111 million in local protection for the people most at risk of losing care.
The challenge is real: the city projects $315 million a year in total losses. But it enters the fight with more than 600 treatment beds added in recent years and a plan already in motion to keep residents enrolled before the new rules bite.
What readers can do now: if you or a family member is on Medi-Cal, check your enrollment and renewal paperwork this fall — before January, not after. Staying enrolled is the best protection, and it’s free.
