Marquez v. California Department of Health Petition

Marquez v California Department of Health, challenges California Medi-Cal policies that deny necessary medical care to children who have other health care coverage (OHC) when the other coverage does not provide the health care services the child needs. Medi-Cal policy requires individuals to use other available health care coverage before relying on Medi-Cal, but the lawsuit alleges the California Department of Health Care Services does not determine whether services are actually available through the OHC before denying Medi-Cal coverage.

The lawsuit, filed September 25, 2009, in San Francisco Superior Court, seeks changes in Medi-Cal policy to ensure that children are able to get the critical health care services they need. In addition to Youth Law Center, the petitioners are represented by Bay Area Legal Aid, Lucy Quacinella, Esq., Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, and the Western Center on Law and Poverty.