Welcome to CCUIH’s California Legislative Tracker. We track California legislative and policy-related updates that impact Urban Indian health by providing a short summary and analysis on how the legislation can effect Urban Indian health and wellbeing, with a focus on Urban Indian Health Organizations. This tracker is updated periodically to incorporate legislative changes and new legislative proposals.
Check out the sidebar for chaptered legislation.
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Governor Brown’s 2017 – 2018 Budget Proposal remains committed to continuing California’s priority expanding healthcare coverage across the State, but also acknowledges the change in federal administration and the many unknowns.
“…the [Brown] administration stands ready to build on what has worked, support changes and efficiencies where appropriate, and play a constructive role to protect and enhance the lives and health of Californians – with the fiscal constraints facing the state.”
Pros
+ Medi-Cal: The Governor’s budget remains fully committed to the Medi-Cal expansion and estimates that 14.3 million people will be in the Medi-Cal program in 2017-18 and the budget is projected to increase to $19.1 billion.
+ Undocumented Children’s Healthcare: The Governor’s Budget Proposal maintains funding for the estimated 185,000 undocumented children who are eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits after May 1, 2016.
+ Drug Medi-Cal: The Governor’s budget includes $661.9 million in 2017 for increased Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System Pilot continuation, demonstrating a willingness to continue to invest in BH and SUD services.
Cons
– MFT: The Governor’s budget delays the implementation of AB1863 (Wood)- Marriage and Family Therapists from January 2017 to July 1, 2018. MFTs will not be billable at the PPS rate within an FQHC until that time.
– APM: FQHC Payment Reform Demonstration Pilot (CP3, Wrap Cap or APM Pilot) per SB147 (Hernandez) will be delayed to January 2018 from its original October 2017 implementation date.
– Workforce Investment: The Governor’s budget eliminates the $100 million workforce commitment that CPCA authored and promoted last year. The 2017-18 budget reverses the $33 million commitment that was targeted for this year, and eliminates the remainder of the $100 million in the future.
– 340B: The Governor’s budget will include trailer bill language to explicitly require covered entities, for both Medi-Cal FFS and Medi-Cal managed care, to “bill at their actual 340B acquisition cost plus any applicable dispensing fee.” The results could be extremely detrimental to health centers that rely on 340B savings for capital projects, operations, or bolstered services. The proposal aims to ensure it is the state that accrues the savings from 340B and not covered entities.
Click here for Governor Brown’s full Health and Human Services budget summary.