The 2025-26 Budget: Health Care Access and Information

Feb 20, 2025 - A substantial share of spending on brand drugs was concentrated among a handful of relatively expensive drugs. …Though Data Limitations Complicate Comparisons. The prescription drug market involves a complex and opaque system of payments and players, complicating assessments of drug prices.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4979

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - Handful of Other Adjustments Results in Net Reduction. Our baseline outlook includes other smaller adjustments that, on net, slightly offset some of the spending increases over the multiyear ($1.9  billion).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5092

Enhancing Federal Financial Participation for Consumers Served by the Department of Developmental Services

Nov 9, 2021 - If a family is not comfortable making RC staff an authorized representative, RC staff still could provide more hands ‑on assistance to families who need it. Costs to Provide Hands ‑On Enrollment Assistance.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4471

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Dec 7, 2023 - On the other hand, the continuous coverage requirement expired at the end of March  2023. This change restarted monthly county eligibility redeterminations beginning April 1, 2023, with the first enrollment terminations beginning July 1, 2023.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4820

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2025 - There are a handful of differences in our estimates, but these changes are small enough on net that they do not substantively change our assessment of the budget condition. Specifically, the administration has higher revenue estimates than our office, but these are mostly offset by their higher spending estimates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal Pharmacy Spending

Apr 3, 2025 - On the other hand, the state generally pays for the full cost of drugs for undocumented beneficiaries (as is the case for many other services to this population). Drugs to undocumented beneficiaries also generally are not eligible for rebates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5026

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

Oct 24, 2025 - As Figure  6 shows, only a handful of changes under H.R.  1 took effect immediately. The legislation sets out a schedule for the remaining changes to be implemented over the next few years. For many changes, their full effects will depend in part on forthcoming guidance from federal regulators, as well as state implementation decisions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5083

The 2023-24 Budget: Whole Child Model Expansion

May 5, 2023 - Given the complex policy considerations at hand, we recommend the Legislature act cautiously with this proposal and consider deferring some or all of the proposed expansion as it weighs its long-term policy plans for CCS.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4767

An Update on the Public Health Laboratory System After the Pandemic

Jun 12, 2025 - With Data in Hand, the Legislature Can Assess if There Is a Capacity Gap. Based on the data collection and assessments laid out in the framework above, the Legislature would be able to determine if there are any capacity gaps.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5056

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

Mar 6, 2025 - Figure  7 shows Community Supports utilization has grown in recent years, though the majority of growth is concentrated in a handful of services. Medically Tailored Meals is the most utilized Community Support by a fairly large margin.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5003