The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal Pharmacy Spending

Apr 3, 2025 - After paying pharmacies for the drugs, Medi ‑Cal submits claims to drug makers for negotiated rebates. These rebates provide money back to the Medi ‑Cal program, effectively helping to offset some of the cost of the drugs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5026

The 2025-26 Budget: Health Care Access and Information

Feb 20, 2025 - One key issue is rebates —negotiated discounts that drug makers pay to health plans after drugs are purchased. Rebates help health plans mitigate the high cost of drugs, and brand drugs likely come with higher rebates than generic drugs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4979

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

Mar 6, 2025 - Prior to December 2020, seniors and persons with disabilities whose incomes were between roughly 122  percent and 138  percent of the FPL had to pay a share of cost in order to receive Medi ‑Cal coverage.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5010

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

Mar 6, 2025 - In order to support the implementation of ECM and Community Supports, the state implemented the PATH initiative and the Incentive Payment Program (IPP) to help create and expand program infrastructure.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5003

The 2025-26 Budget: MCO Tax and Proposition 35

Feb 26, 2025 - For example, some health plans use fee-for-service approaches to pay for services. Others enter into managed care contracts with certain providers, paying monthly rates in exchange for overseeing the care of beneficiaries.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4992

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

Feb 5, 2025 - This report assesses $1.8 billion in behavioral health infrastructure grants awarded in 2022 and 2023 to help the Legislature conduct oversight over $4.4 billion in additional grants funded by the Proposition 1 bond expected to be awarded beginning May 2025.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4954

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

Feb 5, 2025 - The Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) was created in the 2021 budget to help address the shortage of services. So far, BHCIP has awarded $1.8 billion in grants to build facilities meant to expand mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in California.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4954