More than half of San Joaquin Valley dwellers could face ‘devastating’ health coverage cuts

MORE THAN HALF of the San Joaquin Valley’s population could be bracing for “devastating” cuts to their health insurance coverage as House Republicans decide how to slash some $880 billion from Medicaid.

Among Californians, Valley residents have perhaps the most to lose due to the eight-county region’s high enrollment in Medi-Cal, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid program for low-income residents. About 51% of people living from San Joaquin County down to Kern County use the program to access medical care, the highest percentage for any region across the state.