Q&A: Medicaid director Jacey Cooper says new Medi-Cal expansions are a ‘huge win’ for California

Jacey Cooper has served as California’s Medicaid director since January 2020. She previously worked as the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) senior advisor of health care programs and assistant deputy director of health care delivery systems, and has also held leadership positions at Meridian Healthcare Partners, Kern Medical Center, and COPE Health Solutions. Taking the helm of the department just before the onset of the pandemic, Cooper has been at the forefront of California’s fight against COVID-19.

In this Q&A, Cooper discusses the significance of recently passed expansions to Medi-Cal, the state’s commitment to implementing full Medi-Cal expansion, and her...