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

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Mar 2, 2026 - H.R. 1 tightens the existing rules around proportionality, generally prohibiting states from charging higher rates on Medicaid services than non ‑Medicaid services. This notably limits states ’ ability to obtain a waiver from proportionality rules.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5146

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

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

Feb 5, 2025 - The spending plan includes hundreds of millions of dollars in increases for non ‑specialty mental health services and for services provided in certain behavioral health facilities. Medi ‑Cal Mobile Crisis Benefit.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4954

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

Mar 6, 2025 - Based on our review of the legislative history, the elimination of the asset test was meant to remove a barrier to enrollment, encourage continuity of coverage, and make eligibility determinations between MAGI and non ‑MAGI populations more equitable, among other goals.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5010

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - Under H.R. 1, states are prohibited from charging higher tax rates on Medicaid services than on non ‑Medicaid services. This means that, moving forward, the state ’s health plan tax will no longer be able to charge such a disproportionate tax.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5092

The 2023-24 Budget: Whole Child Model Expansion

May 5, 2023 - Absent this proposal, these plans would administer the Whole Child Model in some of their counties and not in others, potentially adding to the complexity of administering services to their beneficiaries.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4767

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Feb 14, 2024 - Such an approach could have the added benefit of spreading the fiscal risks of the proposed package over a longer period of time, including by delaying the timing of when the provider payment reserve is depleted.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4838

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 16, 2025 - CDPH has worked to adapt a number of these systems for other public health purposes, such as laboratory reporting of other infectious diseases or vaccine management for non-COVID-19 vaccines. As the state works to develop an overarching public health IT strategy, the department is renewing short-term maintenance and operations contracts to maintain current system capabilities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5075

The 2019-20 May Revision: Update to Governor's 1991 Realignment Proposals

May 29, 2019 - These costs would be added to the IHSS MOE similar to county costs from locally established wage and health benefit increases. Maintains All Other IHSS-Related Realignment Changes Proposed in January.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4077