California to pay off nearly $60 million in student loans for doctors who help more Medi-Cal patients

The state of California is spending nearly $60 million to pay off the student loans of 247 doctors.

In return, those doctors have promised to take on more patients covered by Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid health care program.

More than 13 million Californians get their health coverage through Medi-Cal, but many have trouble finding doctors willing to accept the rates paid by the program.

The money to pay off the loans will come, in part, from an increase in tobacco taxes that took effect in 2017.