Issues That Could Impact Californians' Health Care Coverage in 2023 and Beyond

Dec 16, 2022 - As part of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Congress effectively eliminated the federal individual mandate by setting the penalty for violating the coverage requirement to zero beginning in 2019.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4654

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Health

Oct 22, 2021 - Additionally, budget-related language approved alongside the spending plan ensures that the ongoing rates paid to these long-term care facilities include the supplemental payments that have been provided since 2017 with funding from the Proposition  56 (2016) tobacco tax increase.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4465

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

Feb 17, 2021 - To operate the program, DHCS manages many IT systems enabling payment of over $ 100  b illion in expenditures annually. (Other entities also manage IT systems that support the Medi ‑Cal program.) This post refers to some of the Medi ‑Cal IT systems DHCS manages that are relevant to this modernization effort, including the California Medicaid Management Information System (CA
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4375

The 2021-22 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2021 - CAC = California Arts Council; CalVet = California Department of Veterans Affairs; CDE = California Department of Education; CDFA = California Department of Food and Agriculture; CDI = California Department of Insurance; CDT = California Department of Technology; SOC = Security Operations Center; IT = information technology; CMD = California Military Department; CPUC = California Public Utilities
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432/6

The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Health Budget and Policy [Publication Details]

Oct 15, 2020 - These actions include the offsetting of what would otherwise be General Fund costs with (1) revenues from the federally approved reauthorized tax on managed care organizations and (2) federal Medicaid funds that are being provided to the state at an enhanced level during the term of the public health emergency.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4281

The 2021-22 Budget: Analysis of CalAIM Financing Issues

Feb 16, 2021 - Combining the new costs to build upon and replace Whole Person Care and the Dental Transformation Initiative, the funding plan would replace what are currently hundreds of millions of dollars of non ‑General Fund expenditures with around $ 400  m illion of General Fund expenditures on an ongoing basis.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4374

Federal COVID-19 Response Actions Affecting Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities

Apr 16, 2020 - Eligibility will be determined primarily through an individual ’s most recent tax filing (2019 for those who have already filed, 2018 otherwise). Initially, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance stating that people who typically do not file a tax return, including low-income, older adults and individuals with disabilities, will need to file a tax return or register through an online tool to receive the one-time cash assistan ce.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4221

The 2019-20 May Revision: Analysis of the Governor’s January and May Mental Health Workforce Proposals

May 16, 2019 - About half of funding for county mental health services is provided by the state through block grants that grow on an annual basis in line with state tax revenues. Federal Medicaid funding makes up most of the remaining funding.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4049

The 2020-21 Budget: Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget

Feb 14, 2020 - In this report, we provide high‑level background on the Medi‑Cal program and an overview of the major drivers of year‑over‑year spending changes in the Governor’s budget. We also discuss the administration’s recent submittal (late January 2020) of a modified managed care organization (MCO) tax proposal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4161

The 2020-21 Budget: Analysis of the Medi-Cal Budget [Publication Details]

Feb 14, 2020 - We also discuss the administration’s recent submittal (late January 2020) of a modified managed care organization (MCO) tax proposal. We then provide analysis and recommendations on a series of key issues: (1) Recently proposed draft federal regulations referred to as the “Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Regulation;” (2) proposals related to the Medi‑Cal pharmacy services benefit;
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4161