San Mateo County Correctional Health Services to Receive CalAIM Reimbursements

Redwood City- San Mateo County Correctional Health Services will save an estimated $2 million annually in healthcare costs for incarcerated individuals by participating in California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), a statewide initiative aimed at improving healthcare access for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. By leveraging CalAIM reimbursements, the County will reduce the financial burden of providing medical care in its jails while reinvesting the savings into staffing and services to enhance healthcare for incarcerated individuals.

CalAIM, launched by the California Department of Health Care Services in January 2022, aims to improve healthcare access for Medi-Cal beneficiaries by reducing administrative hurdles and costs when exiting correctional facilities. Currently, San Mateo County Correctional Health Services covers the full cost of medical care for individuals in county jails. Limited reimbursements are only received for hospital stays exceeding 24 hours through the Medi-Cal Inmate Eligibility Program (MCIEP). With the addition of CalAIM, the county can begin to receive additional reimbursements for healthcare cost by Medi-Cal eligible adults. The county's two correctional facilities provide care to approximately 1,000 patients daily, 46 percent of whom are Medi-Cal eligible and will qualify for CalAIM reimbursements. These funds will help offset the costs of medical services, which average $1,100 per patient, along with medication costs ranging from $500 to $900 per individual.

"The CalAIM initiative is a significant step toward ensuring that incarcerated individuals receive the medical care they need while also reducing the financial burden on local governments," said Michael del Rosario, director of Correctional Health Services. "These projected savings will allow us to invest in additional administrative and clinical staff, ultimately improving the quality and continuity of care for our patients."

CalAIM's Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative will provide medical and behavioral health services for Medi-Cal eligible adults in correctional facilities in the 90-day period before their release. This ensures continuity of care and access to critical services such as primary care, mental health support, substance use treatment, and care management. The county's BHRS Integrated Medical Assisted Treatment (IMAT) team often engage with individuals that recently departed correctional facilities to provide advanced treatment for substance use recovery. By providing these services before release, CalAIM increases the likelihood that individuals connect with essential recovery resources post-release from custody when risks of relapse, recidivism and emergency room utilization are high.

San Mateo County joins other counties across California in leveraging CalAIM's expanded Medi-Cal benefits, which aim to break the cycle of untreated medical and behavioral health conditions among incarcerated individuals. The initiative aligns with broader state efforts to address health disparities and improve care coordination across various systems of care.

Faizus Amin

Public Information Officer

San Mateo County Health

Press Contact: 650-867-1661

Press Email: press@smchealth.org