Santa Clara expands uninsured care as Medi-Cal cuts approach in 2027

Santa Clara County is preparing for a rise in uninsured residents after federal and state budget cuts reduce Medi-Cal enrollment in 2027, according to reports from mercurynews.com and eastbaytimes.com. The county expects up to 70,000 more people without insurance next year due to these changes.

In response, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to expand health services for the uninsured. The existing Primary Care Access Program will be renamed Valley Care and receive an additional $25 million in funding to support up to 10,000 more uninsured individuals who do not qualify for other insurance.

Valley Care will continue to offer subsidized healthcare on an income-based sliding scale, providing access to primary care doctors and some specialists within the county’s hospitals and community health clinics. County Executive James Williams emphasized that this program is not a replacement for Medi-Cal but aims to mitigate the impact on residents losing coverage.

County staff are focusing on administrative efforts to maintain eligibility for as many Medi-Cal enrollees as possible, though some residents are still expected to lose coverage. The expansion is intended to reduce financial and health impacts on families affected by the coverage changes.