Only 16% of Medi-Cal Kids Got an Eye Exam in 2022-24 — Down from 19% Eight Years Earlier; 47 of 58 CA Counties Worsened
CalMatters investigation (April 2026): Only 16% of school-age Medi-Cal kids got an eye exam between 2022 and 2024 — DOWN from 19% eight years earlier. 47 of 58 CA counties worsened.
Root cause: Medi-Cal pays just ~$47 per comprehensive eye exam, unchanged for 25 years. Only ~10% of California Optometric Association members accept Medi-Cal at this rate.
CA Education Code §49455 mandates vision screening at K, grades 2, 5, 8 — but no enforcement when kids fail screening and need exams. FQHCs are the only realistic capacity expansion lever given the rate and the access crisis.
This is a major equity story directly relevant to the 2026 H.R. 1 environment — vision care will deteriorate further without urgent intervention.
Key takeaways
- Pediatric Medi-Cal eye exam rate fell from 19% (2014-16) to 16% (2022-24) — DECLINING, not improving
- Medi-Cal pays ~$47 per comprehensive eye exam — UNCHANGED for 25 years
- Only ~10% of CA Optometric Association members accept Medi-Cal
- FQHCs are the only realistic capacity expansion vehicle
Primary source
CalMattersFQHC Talent. (2026, April 15). Only 16% of Medi-Cal Kids Got an Eye Exam in 2022-24 — Down from 19% Eight Years Earlier; 47 of 58 CA Counties Worsened. Primary source: CalMatters. Retrieved June 15, 2026, from https://www.fqhctalent.com/intel/calmatters-medi-cal-kids-eye-exam-rate-april-2026
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