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Health and Human Services Publications

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Health Care Workforce Augmentations

May 31, 2018 - To be present to: Budget Conference Committee

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Health and Human Services Overview

May 31, 2018 - To be present to: 2018-19 Budget Conference Committee

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The 2018-19 Budget: The Administration's Proposition 55 Estimates in the May Revision

May 22, 2018 - This post describes the Proposition 55 calculation for Medi-Cal spending in the Governor’s May Revision.

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The 2018-19 Budget: The May Revision—Health and Human Services (HHS)‑Related Funding to Address Homelessness

May 17, 2018 - The Governor’s 2018 19 May Revision proposes a package of actions and funding augmentations aimed at alleviating homelessness. Several of the major elements of the proposal are in the HHS area of the budget. Specifically, the proposals would: (1) create the Senior Home Safe program at the Department of Social Services (DSS), (2) augment the current California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Housing Support Program and CalWORKs Homeless Assistance Program at DSS, and (3) provide one-time funding to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for county mental health services. In this post, we describe these proposals and raise issues and questions for the Legislature to consider.

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Initiative Statute: Authorizes State Regulation of Kidney Dialysis Clinics and Limits Charges for Patient Care.

May 15, 2018 - Presented to Assembly Health Committee and Senate Health Committee

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Initiative Statute: Authorizes Bonds Funding Construction at Hospitals Providing Children’s Health Care.

May 15, 2018 - Presented to Assembly Health Committee and Senate Health Committee

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The 2018-19 Budget: Governor's May Revision Medi-Cal Budget

May 14, 2018 - In this post, we describe and provide our initial comments on adjustments to the Medi-Cal budget in the 2018-19 May Revision.

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Estimating the Cost of Expanding Full-Scope Medi-Cal Coverage to Undocumented Adults

May 10, 2018 - This post responds to several requests for our office to estimate the cost of providing full-scope Medi-Cal coverage to undocumented adults over the age of 19 who are currently eligible for restricted-scope Medi-Cal coverage (that is, primarily emergency and pregnancy-related services). Based on a number of key assumptions, we estimate the total net state cost of this coverage expansion is approximately $3 billion in 2018-19. This net cost would be fully a state cost, and represents the change between the cost of providing full-scope Medi-Cal and the costs of providing restricted-scope Medi-Cal to the undocumented adult population.

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The 2018-19 Budget: Meeting Workforce Demand for Certified Nursing Assistants in Skilled Nursing Facilities

April 27, 2018 - In this post, we provide background on new staffing requirements for certified nursing assistants working in skilled nursing facilities, describe the Governor’s proposals to address these new staffing requirements, assess those proposals, and make associated recommendations.

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The 2018-19 Budget: Analysis of the Governor's 340B Medi-Cal Proposal

March 21, 2018 - This budget brief analyzes the Governor’s 2018-19 budget proposal to eliminate the use of the 340B Drug Pricing Program in Medi-Cal. The Governor’s proposed statutory changes are intended to generate state savings and reduce the administrative complexity of complying with federal law on duplicate discounts when 340B prescriptions drugs are dispensed to Medi-Cal enrollees. We find that the Governor’s proposal merits serious consideration from the Legislature since, among other benefits, it would likely result in state savings that the Legislature could, in turn, use to fund its priorities. We note, however, that these savings would be in place of savings currently enjoyed by eligible healthcare providers. Before making a decision on the Governor’s proposal, we recommend that the Legislature ask the administration to provide the following key information on the Governor’s proposal: (1) the amount of Medi-Cal savings that would be generated, (2) the impact on healthcare providers currently participating in the 340B Program, and (3) the trade-offs of alternative policy approaches to addressing the challenges that are present due to the use of the 340B Program in Medi-Cal.

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The 2018-19 Budget: Child Care Programs—Analysis of Governor’s Hold Harmless Rate Proposal

March 19, 2018 - In this post, we first provide background on the reimbursement rate used for certain child care providers. We then describe and assess the Governor’s related hold harmless provision and end by making associated recommendations.

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The Potential Effects of Ending the SSI Cash-Out

March 14, 2018 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services

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Sequestering Savings From the Closure of Developmental Centers

March 7, 2018 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services

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The 2018-19 Budget: Evaluating FI$Cal

March 2, 2018 - In this analysis, we describe the Financial Information System for California (FI$Cal) Project and the major changes to the project based on the newly released Special Project Report (SPR). We also describe the Governor’s 2018-19 budget proposal to fund activities associated with the new SPR at the State Controller’s Office. Finally, we make associated findings and recommendations.

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The 2018-19 Budget: The Administration’s Proposition 55 Estimates

March 1, 2018 - Proposition 55 (2016) aimed to increase funding for Medi-Cal under a formula administered by the Department of Finance. In 2018-19, the first year of implementation of this calculation, the administration’s interpretations and estimates result in no additional funds to Medi-Cal. Two key choices lead to this result. First, the administration’s decision to subtract $3.5 billion from available revenues to account for its proposed optional reserve deposit significantly reduces the calculation’s starting point, eliminating a surplus that would have directed funds to Medi-Cal. Second, the administration’s workload budget approach is based on a broad definition of currently authorized services, which also has the effect of reducing the amount of potential funds for Medi-Cal under the measure. Different decisions about these two features of the measure could result in more or less funding for Medi-Cal by hundreds of millions—or even billions—of dollars in the future.

Health and Human Services Staff

Mark Newton
(916) 319-8323
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Health, Developmental Services, and Technology
 
Jason Constantouros
(916) 319-8322
Medi-Cal/Managed Care/Family Health/Health Care Affordability and Workforce Development
 
Brian Metzker
(916) 319-8354
Privacy, Security, and Technology
 
Ryan Miller
(916) 319-8356
Medi-Cal/Behavioral Health/Covered California/CalHHS Agency Issues
 
Angela Short
(916) 319-8309
Child Welfare, Child Support, Community Services and Development, Community Care Licensing, CalSTRS
 
Karina Hendren
(916) 319-8352
Medi-Cal/Long-Term Care/Developmental Services
 
Will Owens
(916) 319-8341
Public Health/Behavioral Health/State Hospitals
 
Sonia Schrager Russo
(916) 319-8361
CalWORKs/CalFresh
 
Juwan Trotter
(916) 319-8358
In-Home Supportive Services/Aging Programs
 
Ginni Bella Navarre
(916) 319-8342
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Human Services and Governance