Poor form?

A new form used to determine Medi-Cal eligibility for beneficiaries renewing their coverage may be too complicated, advocates for low-income individuals argue.

Counties began sending the forms out last month and they are due back at the end of June, according to HealthyCal.org. As per the Affordable Care Act, the form now includes questions about income and tax deductions, which advocates say could be confusing for beneficiaries who don’t file their own taxes or have multiple jobs. Further, the renewal process now includes two forms in most parts of the state, whereas one form was used prior to ACA implementation.

Marcia Gardner, deputy director of Santa Barbara County’s Department of Social Services, maintained that the process has been simplified, noting that rather than requiring beneficiaries to produce pay stubs, the state can now verify such information electronically.