On January 1, 2026, Orange County’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) pay rate rose to $18.90 per hour — a modest $0.40 increase that still leaves base wages below what fast-food workers earn in the same zip codes. W
CalOptima, Orange County’s Medi-Cal managed care plan serving over 800,000 members, is in the midst of its most serious membership crisis in years. The Medi-Cal redetermination process that began in 2023 has resulted in tens of thousands of OC residents losing their health coverage — many through procedural errors rather than actual ineligibility. F
California’s Medi-Cal program is undergoing its most significant transformation in years, with sweeping changes rolling out across 2026 that will affect millions of beneficiaries statewide — including an estimated 800,000+ residents in Orange County. F
