January 1, 2027 Changes How Defined UIS Members Receive Medi-Cal Care — It Does Not End Their Medi-Cal Coverage

Current DHCS member guidance says that, beginning January 1, 2027, people in defined unsatisfactory-immigration-status (UIS) categories will receive Medi-Cal through fee-for-service (FFS) instead of a managed care health plan. The change is automatic and changes how care is obtained, not whether an otherwise eligible member can keep Medi-Cal: members must still renew on time, use providers that accept FFS Medi-Cal, and bring their Beneficiary Identification Card.

Medi-Cal Rx and county specialty mental-health and substance-use services continue. Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports do not continue because they are managed-care-only benefits, while DHCS identifies other available supports such as community health workers, chronic-care management, doula services, county programs, a nurse advice line, and community navigators.

This January delivery-system change is separate from the July 1, 2027 dental, state-only FQHC/RHC PPS, premium, and immigration-category policies. Care teams should inventory each affected service and complete a warm handoff; billing teams should verify FFS enrollment, provider acceptance, authorization, and claim rules.

The source does not prove that every care-management payment or FQHC revenue stream ends. Use DHCS notices and approved eligibility/clinical systems for member-level decisions; do not place immigration status, eligibility records, diagnoses, or patient identifiers in FQHC Talent.