The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

Mar 13, 2026 - The department stated that its budget projections for 2026 ‑27 do not incorporate any potential added costs due to the changes in H.R 1. Will the department be able to determine whether its costs increase in the future due to H.R. 1?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5157

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Mar 2, 2026 - One possible reason for our higher estimate is that our model reflects not only disenrollment among current enrollees, but also reduced enrollment flows over time and a persistent risk of disenrollment among eligible individuals due to added administrative burden.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5146

The 2020-21 Budget: Analysis of the Department of Developmental Services Budget

Feb 7, 2020 - The 2020-21 Budget: Analysis of the Department of Developmental Services Budget 116 ‑ Early Start Specialized Therapeutic Services 5.00 Rate Increases Would Take Effect January 1, 2021. For the added services, supplemental rate increases would not take effect until January 1, 2021, which would again provide the state six months to seek federal approval of these increases.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4147

The 2019-20 Budget: Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget

Feb 13, 2019 - With this growth, complexity and uncertainty in budgeting have increased. The ACA added new complexities to the program, such as by providing enhanced federal sharing ratios for certain populations. These higher sharing ratios allowed the state to provide coverage to these populations at a lower state cost than for other populations, but tracking the appropriate
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3935

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

Mar 6, 2025 - In the paragraphs that follow, we provide our analysis that results in ou r estimate of at least 165,000 seniors being added due to eligibility expansions since 2020. (As a consequence of this estimate, it follows naturally that we estimate up to 60,000  seniors being added due to the effects of continuous coverage, the unwinding, and unwinding flexibilities, for a total increase of 225,000 seniors due to policy changes.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5010

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

Oct 24, 2025 - …But Potentially With Added Complexity. Adding more flexibilities also could come with the potential downside of more complexity for beneficiaries and counties. For example, exempting high unemployment counties from work requirements could create more volatility.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5083

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

Feb 5, 2025 - Strategies to do so have included expanding the behavioral health workforce; adding benefits and increasing rates in Medi ‑Cal; and increasing capacity through managed care plans, schools, and in other  settings.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4954

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - Baseline Spending Drives Increases. The largest driver of growth ($12.8  billion) comes from baseline spending increases (before state and federal policy changes). Increases in enrollee utilization and provider rates cause most of this trend.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5092

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

Mar 6, 2025 - The difficulty MCPs have in adding ECM and Community Supports providers may be keeping utilization rates lower than expected. Systemic Constraints Limit Utilization. Lower ‑than ‑expected utilization of certain benefits may be driven more by systemic constraints across different regions of the state rather than a low demand for those benefits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5003

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 16, 2025 - According to DHCS, managed care plans have increased rates for certain services (such as primary care) in the last few years. These rate increases reflect higher costs in the Medi-Cal program. Accordingly, the administration ’s Proposition  35 spending plan treats this cost growth as an augmentation in 2025 and 2026.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5075