BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Health advocates from Kern County are urging families to enroll or renew Medi-Cal before the 2026 Medi-Cal expansion deadline as significant changes approach.
Starting in January 2026, the Medi-Cal program for people without satisfactory immigration status will change. To help residents prepare, a mobile outreach bus will travel to rural areas in Kern County throughout November, making stops in towns like Lake Isabella and Frazier Park.
"We picked this because we know that when they apply for Medi-Cal and sometimes your application takes just way too long, it is it's a challenge. It's really a hard call for them to travel to Bakersfield, to come to the DHS office to get an answer," said Nataly Santamaria with Vision y Compromiso.
The mobile unit will provide all necessary tools to ensure people feel comfortable when they attend one of the health awareness fairs.
"The services are in English and in Spanish. The providers that do come out are bilingual, and we're trying to meet the need of our Hispanic community and those that have struggled that can't speak English," said Elena Almazan, community educator.
People interested in attending the fair won't need to register to receive assistance. Organizers are trying to make things as easy as possible for residents.
"They can walk in. No appointment is needed. They just show up, and make sure that they have all the documentation. If they are missing anything, they will allow them to go back home, get it, and come back. Again, we want to make it as easy as possible for folks to sign up and remove all of the barriers that we know exist," said Santamaria.
Beyond helping people with Medi-Cal, there will also be other services available. The goal is to help people as much as possible.
"They'll also be able to come in and see other facilities to say, listen, do you need help with mental health? You know, here we are. Do you need help with maybe substance use or do you need help understanding the whole system with food insecurities and stuff like that? We'll be there at these health fairs to be able to educate and help guide people along the way," said Gilbert LaRoque with Bakersfield Recovery Services.
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