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The Medi-Cal Program
In California, the Medicaid program is known as Medi-Cal. Medicaid was enacted by Congress in 1965 to provide a comprehensive range of medical services to America's disabled and poorest citizens. It is often confused with Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly. However, unlike Medicare - which is 100 percent federally-funded and provides the same benefit coverage throughout the country - Medicaid is jointly financed by federal and state funds and is administered by each state.
California's Medi-Cal program is an essential component in the delivery of health care to millions of low-income adults and children, the elderly, and the disabled. Administered by the state Department of Health Services, Medi-Cal accounts for more than $29 billion in annual expenditures - nearly one-quarter of the state's entire budget - and provides health coverage for approximately one out of every six Californians.
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