An Update on the Public Health Laboratory System After the Pandemic

Jun 12, 2025 - California statute requires all public health laboratories to receive a specified federal certification, and the state public health laboratory is responsible for ensuring that local public health laboratories meet this certification and enforce other regulations related to public health laboratories.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5056

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

Mar 13, 2026 - While the language of H.R.  1 indicates that states should exempt individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability and their family caregivers from new Medicaid eligibility requirements, the degree to which these exemptions are successfully implemented in California will depend on the administration ’s approach.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5157

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 16, 2025 - The spending plan est imates this action saves $370  million General Fund in 2025-26, rising to $600  million General Fund in subsequent years. In addition, this year ’s health trailer bill adjusts the statutory formula for state rebates on HIV and cancer drugs, estimated to save $75  million General Fund in 2025-26 and $150  million General Fund ongoing in subsequent years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5075

The 2021-22 Budget: Medi-Cal Enterprise System Modernization Effort

Feb 17, 2021 - Many of the Medi ‑Cal program ’s IT systems do not meet the updated guidelines and standards in the federal government ’s recommended framework for state Medicaid IT systems, known as the Medicaid Information Technology Architecture (MITA).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4375

The 2024-25 Budget: Future of Public Health Budget Solution

May 21, 2024 - For example, federal grants fund health facility certification for Medicare and Medi-Cal or prevention and response for specific diseases (like HIV/AIDS). Historically, the General Fund —a flexible funding source —has been a very small source of support (3  percent to 5  percent of the department ’s total budget) that actually declined between a pre-Great Recession peak ($361  million) and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic ($167  million in 2018 ‑19).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4904

The 2021-22 Budget: Behavioral Health: Medi-Cal Student Services Funding Proposal

Feb 17, 2021 - Although schools (and counties who currently have partnerships with schools) may already provide similar services as those that managed care plans can provide, the degree to which they do is unclear.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4377

Climate Change Impacts Across California - Crosscutting Issues

Apr 5, 2022 - Temperature Increases and Periods of Extreme Heat As shown in Figure  2 , a moderate global emissions climate model projects increases in annual average maximum temperatures in California throughout the 21st century compared to historical baseline averages —ranging from an average of roughly 4 degrees Fahrenheit between 2035 to 2064 to roughly 6 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the last 30 years of the century.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4575

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Feb 14, 2024 - With more information forthcoming, we focus our assessment on the broad architecture of the package. Proposed Package Raises Several Major Issues to Consider for Medi‑Cal Program Tying Payment Increases to Medicare Worth Considering … The administration ’s proposed approach of tying certain provider payments to a percent of the Medicare level on an ongoing basis has a few advantages.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4838

Mental Health Services Act: Proposed Change in Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission’s Role

Jul 13, 2023 - The MHSA provides fairly flexible funding to counties —both currently and, to a somewhat lesser degree, under the Governor ’s overall proposal —to address mental health challenges that may be unique to their residents.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4781

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

Feb 27, 2024 - According to the department, applications were evaluated based on a point system, with higher points awarded to hospitals with worse cash situations, lower profit margins, stronger plans to turnaround their financial situation, and greater service de livery to underserved communities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4860