The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2024 - Specifically, as of the end of the first full year of redeterminations, total Medi-Cal caseload stood at nearly 15  million —more than two million enrollees greater than was projected by the administration in May 2023 and our office in November 2023.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4941

The 2024-25 Budget: The MCO Tax Package at May Revision

May 22, 2024 - The 2024-25 Budget: The MCO Tax Package at May Revision The MCO Tax Package at May Revision Summary This post provides our initial assessment of the Governor ’s proposed managed care organization (MCO) tax package in the May Revision.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4905

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Mar 2, 2026 - Proposal Assumes Current Version of Health Plan Tax Expires at End of 2026 … The Governor ’s budget assumes the current structure of the health plan tax remains in effect through the end of December  2026.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5146

The 2025-26 Budget: Health Care Access and Information

Feb 20, 2025 - Once this time expires, other drug makers can produce and sell their own generic versions of the drugs. Patent ‑protected, brand name drugs tend to be significantly more expensive than generic versions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4979

The 2023-24 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 23, 2023 - In addition, the spending plan includes $30  million in 2023-24 for HCAI to support the development or procurement of a low-cost, generic version of a naloxone nasal product. The spending plan also includes $15  million each year from 2023-24 through 2026-27 for the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Initiative at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4810

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

Mar 13, 2026 - (In an earlier and now outdated version of a planning document, DDS estimated that the project would cost about $135  million to $180  million in total funds, excluding future maintenance and operations costs.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5157

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 16, 2025 - As of the Governor ’s May Revision, the IST waitlist was 278 individuals, which is less than the average monthly referrals (469 individuals) in 2024-25. The reductions to ongoing IST waitlist solutions funding include savings in early access and stabilization services, community-based restoration and diversion, and the county collaborative workgroup grant.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5075

The 2024-25 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Feb 14, 2024 - The risk of a shortfall exists because future federal rule changes may require the state to adopt a much smaller MCO tax in 2027, relative to the current version. In discussions with our office, the administration has emphasized that it intends for the provider rate increases to be ongoing but has not identified a permanent funding source.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4838

The 2025-26 Budget: MCO Tax and Proposition 35

Feb 26, 2025 - As we have noted in previous publications , future versions of the MCO tax could be much smaller than the current version due to federal policy changes. In a 2023 letter to the state, federal administrators signaled intent to require future MCO taxes to be more proportionate between Medi-Cal and commercial enrollment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4992

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - Our outlook estimates Medi ‑Cal will enroll fewer people over time, with caseload falling from nearly 15  million people in 2024 ‑25 to nearly 12  million people by 2029 ‑30. Monthly per ‑enrollee General Fund spending, by contrast, rises from $298 in 2025 ‑26 to $355 in 2029 ‑30, a $57 (19  percent) increase.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5092