Title
Receive a preliminary response to Board Referral Number 2025.16 (Alejo) regarding the creation of a new Esperanza Care program.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a preliminary analysis report in response to Board Referral No. 2025.16;
b. Provide direction on a preferred referral processing option:
i. Proceed with completion of referral as outlined in preliminary report;
ii. Proceed with completion of referral based on modifications by Board;
iii. Return to Board with a more comprehensive analysis of referral and anticipated effort for completion; or
iv. Rescind referral.
c. Provide further direction, as appropriate.
SUMMARY: Supervisor Alejo submitted a referral assigned to Natividad Medical Center (NMC) and Monterey County Health Department (MCHD) to provide information for the proposal to bring back the Esperanza Care pilot program due to the federal changes related to HR 1 impacting Medi-Cal funding and coverage for county residents.
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS:
Background: On October 30, 2025, Board Referral No. 2025.16 entitled “Esperanza Care 2.0” was issued directing staff to review and re-establish a new Esperanza program to assist those that begin to lose Medi-Cal coverage in January 2026 secondary to the passing of HR 1.
In 2015, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved $500,000 to create the Pilot Program for the remaining uninsured to provide primary care healthcare services MCHD Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to county residents who remained uninsured and unable to pay for costly medical care, procedures and prescription medicines. At the time, it was estimated that 30,000 to 50,000 adult residents over the age of 25 were without any medical insurance due to their documentation status.
The pilot program was...
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