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

Mar 6, 2025 - From July 2022 through September 2024, the caseload in the expansion to individuals age 50 and older —a group that is notably not limited to those age 65 and over —increased by about 120,000  individuals.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5010

Issues That Could Impact Californians' Health Care Coverage in 2023 and Beyond

Dec 16, 2022 - Enrollees Who Turned 65 After March   2020 and Did Not Enroll in Medicare. Under state law, in order to continue to receive Medi ‑Cal benefits, individuals who turn 65 must apply for Medicare. Typically, individuals have an opportunity to enroll in Medicare upon turning 65 during an annual open enrollment period.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4654

Estimated Cost of Expanding Full-Scope Medi-Cal Coverage to All Otherwise-Eligible Californians Regardless of Immigration Status

May 5, 2021 - We assume undocumented immigrants 65 and older would have similar per-enrollee IHSS costs to current senior enrollees in full-scope Medi-Cal. Overall, IHSS costs account for about 20  percent of the estimated additional costs of the full-scope coverage expansion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4423

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

Feb 5, 2025 - The administration is working to allocate the bond funding quickly, with plans to aw ard up to $3.3  billion in May 2025 and a stated commitment to award all funding by 2026. This leaves a brief window in which the Legislature can conduct oversight of the program and influence the administration ’s program administration decisions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4954

The 2023-24 Budget: Health Workforce Budget Solutions

Feb 21, 2023 - Note: Excludes $65 million in combined Opioid Settlement Fund and Mental Health Services Fund in 2022 ‑23 supporting behavioral health workforce initiatives at the Department of Rehabilitation, the Department of Health Care Services, and the Department of Health Care Access and Information.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4691

The 2023-24 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 16, 2022 - In a typical year, the General Fund covers a little more than 20  percent of total Medi ‑Cal costs, with federal funds and other state and local funds respectively covering the remaining 65  percent and 15  percent of total costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4649

Mental Health Services Act: Impact of Governor's Proposal on Funding for Children and Youth

Aug 10, 2023 - While there are no regulatory requirements for spending on children and youth services in other MHSA categories, counties expended approximately $148  million on FSPs serving children and youth and $65  million on other children and youth services in the CSS and Innovation categories.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4786

The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 24, 2022 - The spending plan includes $71  million General Fund ($177  million total funds) to continue various benefit expansions that were temporarily provided as part of the PHE, including (1) $37  million General Fund ($73  million total funds) to continue presumptive eligibility for individuals who are 65 and older, blind, or disabled; (2) $21  million General Fund ($44  million total
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4642

The 2023-24 Budget: Whole Child Model Expansion

May 5, 2023 - For children in CHIP, the federal government historically has covered 65  percent of costs and the remaining 35  percent has been shared equally between state General Fund and county funds. The state supports CCS services provided to children who are not enrolled in Medi-Cal primarily through a mix of state General Fund and county funds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4767

The 2021-22 Budget: LAO Preliminary Comments on the May Revision Medi-Cal Budget

May 21, 2021 - First, the May Revision clarifies through updated budget ‑related legislation that the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) would set Medi ‑Cal reimbursement rates for telephonic care at 65  p ercent of rates for services provided in person.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4436