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

Oct 24, 2025 - The prohibition on enforcement will remain in effect until October 1, 2034. Creates New Home Equity Limit for Long ‑Term Care. Seniors and persons with disabilities apply for Medicaid under a separate set of rules that typically include a verification of assets.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5083

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Mar 2, 2026 - The new rules are already technically in effect, though the federal Department of Health and Human Services can grant states additional time to comply with the new rules. Initial federal guidance released late last year suggested that California might have to restructure its health plan tax in June 2026, with potentially more time available for other kinds of provider taxes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5146

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

Mar 13, 2026 - The final rule imposes a series of new requirements on states with staggered deadlines over the next several years. These requirements include establishing grievance systems for home ‑ and community ‑based services, reporting on service delivery timeliness, and establishing an advisory group on rates paid to direct care workers, among other items.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5157

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services [Publication Details]

Mar 13, 2026 - Analyzes the Governor’s budget for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), with a focus on a budget proposal to continue planning the proposed Life Outcomes Improvement System (LOIS) information technology project, implementation of new H.R.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5157

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - State Could Have More Time to Implement New Federal Eligibility Requirements. The H.R. 1 legislation also allows a transition period of up to two years for states to implement the new community engagement requirement.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5092

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis [Publication Details]

Mar 2, 2026 - In this report, we analyze the Governor’s budget for Medi-Cal, with a focus on base spending trends, changes to provider taxes, implementation of new H.R. 1 rules, oversight over enacted budget solutions, and considerations for identifying additional savings in Medi-Cal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5146

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 16, 2025 - Supports New Behavioral Health Workforce Initiative. The spending plan funds the first year of a new five-year behavioral health workforce initiative. The initiative is a component of a recently federally approved Medi-Cal waiver called Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5075

An Update on the Public Health Laboratory System After the Pandemic

Jun 12, 2025 - Outdated and fragmented public health IT systems proved to be a major hurdle in the state ’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result, the Legislature has appropriated significant funding in recent years to upgrade these systems.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5056

The 2025-26 Budget: Health Care Access and Information

Feb 20, 2025 - The agreement extends for a ten‑year period after the first commercial sale of the new product. According to HCAI, the partnership will produce three generic insulin products, with insulin glargine (also known by the brand name Lantus) most likely to be launched first.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4979

The 2025-26 Budget: MCO Tax and Proposition 35

Feb 26, 2025 - At the same time, as we have noted in other publications , the General Fund is projected to have structural deficits in the future, leaving limited capacity to absorb new costs. As such, it would be prudent for the Legislature to keep in mind these future pressures as it adopts its budget plans this year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4992