Health Equity Guaranteed Income Program

Guaranteed income is a set amount of money people can rely on over a period of time. Unlike Universal Basic Income, Guaranteed Income is for a set group of people based on geography or other criteria. It is based on the belief that people are experts in their own lives. The goal of guaranteed income is to help alleviate disparities and inequalities by creating a social safety net. 

Eligible community members should submit a completed application online. You can always reach out to the Fore Women staff for support with your application. Once the application window closes, all eligible applicants will be put into a pool to be randomly selected to participate in the study. Every eligible applicant will have an equal chance at being selected. Not all applicants will be selected to participate and receive the monthly payments.  

If you are randomly selected to receive the monthly payments, you will be asked to submit verification of each eligibility requirement before enrollment.

Yes.

No, this pilot is only open to patients who receive health care at one of these two hospitals. If you are unsure of where you receive your diabetes care, please check with your primary care doctor.

Pilot participants will be provided with an optional benefits counseling session as part of the program enrollment process. The session will help participants understand the impact of the cash payments on their eligibility for other benefits they may already receive, and enable participants to make an informed decision about pilot participation. Waivers have been obtained through the California Department of Social Services and the following benefits will not be impacted: CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and CalWORKs. 

Monthly payments will be deposited onto a pre-paid debit card tied to US Bank account on the same date every month. You can transfer the money to other bank accounts, withdraw the money from a network of more than 80,000 ATMS, or use the pre-paid debit card just like you would any other bank or cash card. 

No, the cash assistance does not need to be paid back. There is no fee to apply or join this pilot. We believe the best person to determine how an individual should spend his/her/their money is themselves. We believe people can manage their own finances to achieve economic stability. 

This pilot is looking at how receiving Guaranteed Income payments may impact diabetes as a chronic health condition. GI represents a pathway to improved chronic disease management, ultimately alleviating the financial burden on lower-income individuals, reducing the emotional and physical toll of chronic illness on families, and easing the strain on healthcare systems. By providing GI, we aim to empower individuals to meet their family’s needs while building a safety net to fully address their healthcare needs, without sacrificing their treatment plans or the care of their children. 

No, your payments will continue for the entire study period. Switching clinics or changing insurance might mean that your information will not be collected for the research study.  

In the United States, diabetes affects more than 30 million individuals. For people with diabetes, annual medical expenses are a staggering 2.3 times higher compared to individuals without the condition, with higher costs especially impacting those with lower incomes. It has also been demonstrated that lower-income mothers tend to prioritize the healthcare of their children over their own 

Guaranteed Income (GI) represents a pathway to improved chronic disease management by lessening the financial burden on individuals and households and reducing the emotional and physical toll of chronic illness on families and alleviating the burden on our healthcare systems. By providing GI, we aim to empower individuals to meet their family’s needs while building a safety net to fully address their healthcare needs, without sacrificing their treatment plans or the care of their children. 

By specifically targeting working women with diabetes who are household heads, this pilot program will establish a framework for future policies to incorporate GI as an essential component of treating chronic illnesses within low-income families.  

This GI pilot is designed to support working female heads of household, who receive care from MLK Community Healthcare or Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, who have diabetes and who earn between 30% and 80% of the Area Median Income. These individuals fall into an income bracket that places them above the threshold for most public benefits but still below what’s defined as the “Real Cost Measure” required to meet basic household needs, as outlined by the United Way of California and the Insight Center’s Self-Sufficiency Standard. This demographic faces a high degree of financial vulnerability because they earn too much to qualify for many public benefits, often lack substantial savings, and have limited access to a financial safety net when confronted with unexpected financial challenges. 

We anticipate that participants will experience improved glycemic blood sugar control. In addition, we anticipate positive changes that include increased financial stability, active participation in the local economy with an upward trajectory, improved social and emotional well-being, heightened family engagement, and enhanced health outcomes 

Adapted from Health Equity Clinical Research Protocol, Authored by Dr. Noa Tal, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.