California’s Plan to Absorb Medically Fragile Children into Managed Care Proves Controversial

When Kausha King’s son Christian was born with cerebral palsy, along with a seizure disorder and lung disease, doctors told her he would not live past the age of 3. Today, Christian is 18, and although he cannot walk or speak, he is happy and thriving, King says.

She credits much of her son’s progress to a little-known state program known as California Children’s Services, or CCS, which pays for specialized medical care for children with severe illnesses or birth defects.

Beginning next year, state officials essentially want to fold the $2 billion program, which serves an estimated 180,000 children younger than 21, into its vast system of Medi-Cal managed care. Read more.