Children with Medi-Cal

This indicator measures the number of children per 1,000 children under 18 who are enrolled in Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid, a public health insurance program providing free or low cost health care services for low-income individuals.

Medi-Cal as insurance coverage is strongly related to better health outcomes when it makes health care affordable and helps consumers use care appropriately. Having health insurance improves health outcomes by helping people obtain regular and ongoing health care including preventive and screening services, prescription drug benefits, mental health and other services, and primary care outside of the emergency room (3). Uninsured young children have lower immunization rates than insured children. Uninsured children are also 70 percent less likely than insured children to receive medical care for common childhood conditions such as a sore throat, or for emergencies such as a ruptured appendix (4). When hospitalized, uninsured children are at greater risk of dying than children with insurance (2).

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured maintains a clearinghouse of information on potential policy solutions to covering the uninsured in the United States, including children. Information about Medi-Cal and how to apply can be found at Orange County Social Services/Medi-Cal and California Medi-Cal.

Villa Park Yorba Linda Seal Beach Newport Beach Laguna Beach Rancho Santa Margarita Irvine Aliso Viejo Laguna Niguel Mission Viejo La Palma Brea Dana Point San Clemente Los Alamitos Fountain Valley Cypress Huntington Beach Laguna Hills Laguna Woods San Juan Capistrano Lake Forest Placentia Orange County Fullerton Tustin Orange Buena Park Costa Mesa La Habra Stanton Westminster Garden Grove Anaheim Santa Ana 31 52 53 55 57 65 67 70 78 83 108 108 120 131 133 133 133 146 147 171 176 208 244 253 256 259 270 275 281 294 335 349 379 391 490

Children with Medi-Cal by Zip Code, 2009

SAN BERNARDINO

LOS ANGELES

0 - 68 69 - 253 254 - 271 272 - 542 Data missing or unstable

RIVERSIDE

SAN DIEGO

0 2.5 5 10 Miles