The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal Pharmacy Spending

Apr 3, 2025 - Several factors can drive changes in federal rebates. For example, increasing use of generic drugs, which come with lower costs and lower rebates than brand name drugs, can drive down rebates. State Supplemental Rebates Appear to Be Increasing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5026

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - Effects of State Budget Solutions Most Savings Come From Solutions Based on Immigration Status … The net multiyear savings from state budget solutions ($9.3  billion) reflect the combined effect of ongoing and one ‑time actions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5092

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Dec 7, 2023 - In addition, the 2023-24 budget included a notable one-time retroactive payment to the federal government related to erroneous state claiming of federal Medicaid funds. The end of this retroactive payment in 2024-25 also drives down General Fund spending.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4820

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

Mar 6, 2025 - Some of these flexibilities helped seniors stay enrolled in Medi ‑ Cal —for example, one policy allowed counties to more easily renew eligibility for individuals who derive income from stable sources, such as social security and pensions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5010

The 2023-24 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 16, 2022 - Technical adjustments associated with one ‑time costs in 2022 ‑23 largely drive the reduction in spending. The fiscal impact of these technical adjustments is partially offset by a number of upward spending pressures related to the unwinding of the PHE, the end of certain offsetting fund sources, underlying growth in utilization and service costs, and other  factors.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4649

The 2025-26 Budget: Health Care Access and Information

Feb 20, 2025 - This is because (1)  generic drugs often do not require the same level of research and development to go to market and (2)  entry of generic drugs creates market competition that drives down prices. As   Figure  6 shows, while brand drugs represented a small share of commercial health plan fee‑for‑service claims in 2021, they comprised a majority of spending.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4979

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

Mar 13, 2026 - Administration Requests One ‑Time Funding to Continue Planning for LOIS in 2026 ‑27. The Governor ’s budget proposes $5.7  million one ‑time General Fund to continue the PAL process for LOIS. At the time of this report, DDS was working to complete Stage 2 of the PAL process, or the Alternatives Analysis.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5157

The 2024-25 Budget: Department of Health Care Access and Information

Feb 27, 2024 - In Current Year, Deferred One-Time Funds Drive Down General Fund Spending. Excluding the carryover of spending from previous years, one-time General Fund spending is down in 2023 ‑24 relative to budget enactment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4860

The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2024 - The Department of Finance recently determined that one of the conditions had been met, triggering a start date of October 2024. Accordingly, our outlook includes costs associated with the wage increases, described below.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4941

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

Mar 6, 2025 - Based on our analysis and conversations with MCPs and providers, we identify three key factors that appear to be driving lower utilization rates across the state. MCPs Have Limited Experience Offering Nonmedical Services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5003