California street doctors warn that new federal Medi-Cal rules put many unhoused people at risk of losing health coverage. The law starts in 2027 and adds an 80-hour monthly work rule for many adults. It also forces eligibility checks every six months. Meeting those requirements will be particularly challenging for the state’s roughly 180,000 homeless people. They often have no phones or internet to complete a job application. State officials estimate up to 2 million people will lose coverage. Exemptions exist for disability, mental illness, and addiction. But patients need doctors to certify them. Many cannot. California plans automated checks, but gaps remain.
