The 2025-26 Budget: Understanding Recent Increases in the Medi-Cal Senior Caseload [Publication Details]

Mar 6, 2025 - The senior caseload in Medi-Cal has grown about 40 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief explores the causes of this growth and raises issues we think merit legislative oversight.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5010

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

Mar 6, 2025 - Figure  10 shows the average number of Medi ‑Cal enrollees over 65 who are enrolled in Medi ‑Cal for the first time in their lives in four selected time periods —before the continuous coverage period, during continuous coverage but before the asset test phase out, the asset test phase ‑out period, and finally after elimination of the asset test.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5010

The 2025-26 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 20, 2024 - We assume that the key driver of this caseload surge is the recent (January 1, 2024) full elimination of the asset limit test. (In addition to specific income limits, prior to July 2022, seniors and persons with disabilities faced strict asset limits for eligibility.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4941

The 2025-26 Budget: Health Care Access and Information

Feb 20, 2025 - HCAI also indicates that it has reviewed data from the partner on initial tests and studies. Moreover, the partner an d HCAI are engaging with wholesalers and patients to determine distribution. As of our analysis, however, HCAI indicated that it could not provide an estimated time line to receive federal approval to sell  the product.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4979

COVID-19: Federal Health-Related Response

Mar 23, 2020 - Specifically, the CARES Act: Broadens requirement that private health insurers cover COVID-19 testing, with no cost sharing, to include tests that have requested emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration, tests developed by states, and any other tests the U.S.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4209

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Health

Sep 17, 2024 - These protocols include the use of testing, vaccinations, and personal protective equipment to mitigate the spread of communicable diseases. The funding also includes transitioning ten limited-term public health nurse positions into permanent positions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4930

COVID-19: American Rescue Plan’s Major Health-Related Funding Provisions

May 6, 2021 - Funding for COVID-19 Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Distribution/Administration Funding to State and Local Governments for Testing, Contact Tracing, Lab Capacity, and Related Activities. The ARP Act includes $47.8  billion for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, lab capacity, and related activities conducted at the national level and by state, local, and territorial governments.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4425

The 2021-22 Budget: California Department of Public Health's COVID‑19 Response [Publication Details]

Feb 5, 2021 - This publication describes how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spending is reflected in the California Department of Public Health’s budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4347

The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 24, 2022 - COVID-19 Testing in Schools. The spending plan includes $200  million General Fund in 2021-22 for the state to directly purchase COVID-19 tests for schools and $102  million General Fund ($405  million total funds) in 2022-23 for schools to bill Medi-Cal for COVID-19 testing.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4642

The 2023-24 California Spending Plan: Health

Oct 23, 2023 - The department will use the funding for testing, support for the department ’s COVID-19 website and public information campaign, and incentives for vaccinations for children. Funds Disease Data Systems Maintenance.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4810