County to Protect Medi-Cal and CalFresh Access for 1.7 Million Residents Amid New Federal Work Requirements

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Oct. 21 approved a motion to safeguard access to Medi-Cal and CalFresh for hundreds of thousands of county residents at risk of losing benefits due to new federal work requirements. 

The motion comes in response to H.R. 1, a federal budget reconciliation package backed by congressional Republicans and signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4. The law enacts sweeping changes to public assistance programs, including the implementation of work requirements for individuals receiving Medi-Cal through the Affordable Care Act expansion and for those enrolled in CalFresh. The policy changes expand the age range of so-called “able-bodied adults” subject to work requirements, include new categories of impacted individuals such as veterans, former foster youth and people experiencing homelessness, and place additional administrative burdens on recipients and local agencies. 

According to the county’s estimates, as many as 1.5 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries could be at risk of losing coverage when the work requirements take effect Jan. 1, 2027. For CalFresh, approximately 202,000 individuals, more than double the current number, will be required to meet work requirements beginning Feb. 1, 2026. 

The motion also calls for the expansion of workfare and volunteer opportunities across county departments and through community-based organizations. This motion builds on the “Keep Your Coverage” campaign to raise awareness among beneficiaries, as directed in a previous board-approved motion. In alignment with this effort, the motion directs departments to prepare for the development of a coordinated verification system to track work and volunteer participation, exemptions, and eligibility across both Medi-Cal and CalFresh programs. The motion further instructs the county to engage with the state to advocate for a flexible and minimally restrictive verification process that complies with federal regulations without creating unnecessary barriers to care and assistance. 

The Department of Public Social Services will also report back in 90 days with updates on the expansion of workfare opportunities and the development of a comprehensive database that includes technology solutions, data integration and partnerships with nonprofit and community-based organizations. 

Details: To view the motion, click here.