The 2021-22 Budget: LAO Preliminary Comments on the May Revision Medi-Cal Budget

May 21, 2021 - Available budget documents do not indicate ( 1)  w hat kinds of agencies would be eligible to receive this funding, ( 2)  h ow the funding would be distributed, ( 3)  w hat capacity ‑building activities would be funded, and ( 4)  w hat the rationale for the proposed funding amount of $ 200  m illion total funds is.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4436

The 2026-27 Budget: Department of Developmental Services

Mar 13, 2026 - What is the role of the California Health and Human Services Agency in this process? It is possible that the state ’s new automated data matching processes could fail to automatically exempt some DDS consumers from the H.R. 1 eligibility requirements.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5157

The 2021-22 Budget: CalAIM: Equity Considerations

Mar 12, 2021 - For example, Black Medi ‑Cal beneficiaries report worse overall health and suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes at higher rates than other racial or ethnic groups. Moreover, Black state residents as a whole experience homelessness at highly elevated rates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4402

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Analysis

Mar 2, 2026 - In light of what is known to date about the new federal rules, we recommend the Legislature treat the administration ’s assumptions around the health plan tax and private hospital fee as a reasonable starting point.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5146

Mental Health Services Act: LAO Update: The Governor's Revised Behavioral Health Modernization Proposal

Aug 21, 2023 - Under the Governor ’s revised proposal, there is a process allowing for some flexibility in county spending, potentially mitigating what could otherwise be a negative impact on funding for current services.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4792

The 2026-27 Budget: Medi-Cal Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - What Are Some Other Key Changes in H.R. 1 to Track? Change in Unsatisfactory Immigration Status (UIS) Definition. Under H.R. 1, more immigrant groups (such as refuges and asylees) will have UIS beginning October 2026.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5092

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

Oct 24, 2025 - In revisiting the Medi ‑Cal program, the Legislature faces three key questions: (1)  who should Medi ‑Cal serve, (2)  what per ‑enrollee service level should Medi ‑Cal provide, and (3)  what non ‑General Fund financing options are available?
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5083

The 2022-23 Budget: Public Health Foundational Support

Feb 16, 2022 - Remaining funding would be based proportionally on an LHJ ’s share of the state ’s population (50  percent of funding); level of poverty (25  percent of funding), and share of black/African American, Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents (25  percent of funding).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4544

Mental Health Services Act: Proposed Restructuring of the MHSA Funding Categories and Impacts on County Spending

Jul 13, 2023 - The administration has not provided an assessment of how the changes may negatively impact current services. For example, while the administration cites the shortfall in psychiatric treatment beds as a primary justification for the focus on housing interventions, the administration has not provided the rationale for using MHSA —given the trade- offs —to address this and other issues.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4782

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

Feb 17, 2021 - The Legislature may wish to ask the administration for further details on ( 1)  h ow the amount in incentive payments proposal was determined and ( 2)  w hat analysis the administration conducted that indicated that this amount would be sufficient to induce the desired behavior from managed care plans.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4377