Health and Human Services

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

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November 19, 2025 - This brief summarizes our annual outlook for General Fund spending on Medi-Cal.

Overview of Major Impacts of H.R. 1—One Big Beautiful Bill Act on CalFresh

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November 13, 2025 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Human Services

Considering Medi-Cal in the Midst of a Changing Fiscal and Policy Landscape

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October 24, 2025 - We describe the changing fiscal and policy landscape for Medi-Cal resulting from Congressional enactment of H.R. 1 and the key issues facing the Legislature.

 See our companion infographic

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Health

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October 16, 2025 - This post summarizes spending on health programs in the 2025-26 spending plan.

Overview of Major Impacts of H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act

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August 20, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight

An Update on the Public Health Laboratory System After the Pandemic

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June 12, 2025 - This post provides background on the role of the public health laboratory system and changes that occurred during and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also provide a framework for the Legislature to use to assess the capacity of the laboratory system and whether any capacity gaps warrant further action.

The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal in the May Revision

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May 19, 2025 - The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal in the May Revision handout.

Overview of Proposition 1 and Assessment of Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program

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April 7, 2025 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health

The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal Pharmacy Spending

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April 3, 2025 - This brief provides an overview of pharmacy spending in Medi-Cal, including historical spending trends, assumptions under the 2025-26 Governor’s Budget, and key issues and recommendations for the Legislature.

The 2025-26 Budget: Understanding Recent Increases in the Medi-Cal Senior Caseload

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March 6, 2025 - The senior caseload in Medi-Cal has grown about 40 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief explores the causes of this growth and raises issues we think merit legislative oversight.

The 2025-26 Budget: CalAIM Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports Implementation Update

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March 6, 2025 - This report assesses the implementation in Medi-Cal of the Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports benefits and raises key oversight issues for the Legislature.

Overview of Proposition 1 Funding Changes and Assessment of Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program

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March 4, 2025 - Assembly Committee on Health

The 2025-26 Budget: MCO Tax and Proposition 35

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February 26, 2025 - This post provides an overview of the Proposition 35 spending plan under the 2025-26 Governor’s budget and raises key oversight issues for the Legislature.

The 2025-26 Budget: Health Care Access and Information

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February 20, 2025 - This post provides an overview of the Governor’s proposed budget for the Department of Health Care Access and Information, analyzes a proposed diaper access initiative, and provides an implementation update on the CalRx program.

Building California’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure: Progress Update and Opportunities for the Proposition 1 Bond

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February 5, 2025 - This report assesses $1.8 billion in behavioral health infrastructure grants awarded in 2022 and 2023 to help the Legislature conduct oversight over $4.4 billion in additional grants funded by the Proposition 1 bond expected to be awarded beginning May 2025.