The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) recently published its analysis of the use of Proposition 56 tobacco tax revenues in Medi-Cal to improve access to quality care. The LAO examines financing and access and quality care monitoring under the Medi-Cal program and summarizes how Proposition 56 funding has been used in the Medi-Cal Program to…
Read More »This week, the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) released a report titled, “Promoting Health and Cost Control: How States Can Improve Community Health and Well-being Through Policy Change.” The report highlights 13 policies, all outside the healthcare sector, available to states and communities to improve the health and well-being of its residents. Specifically, the report…
Read More »On Wednesday, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released its analysis of Governor Gavin Newsom’s FY 2019-20 budget proposal related to Medi-Cal. The governor’s budget estimates the Medi-Cal budget at $20.7 billion General Fund ($98.5 billion total funds) in 2018-19, which is a significant $2.3 billion General Fund downward adjustment relative to the 2018-19 Budget Act….
Read More »This month’s edition of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vital Signs publication details increasing tobacco use among youth, largely due to use of electronic cigarettes. The report determines that more than one in four high school students and about one in 14 middle school students in 2018 had used a tobacco…
Read More »This week, the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) released its report “Ready or Not: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism,” which provides an annual snapshot of states’ public health and emergency response preparedness. This report, authored by TFAH since 2003, has documented significant progress in the nation’s level of emergency readiness, public…
Read More »The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) this month released a report on emergency department (ED) use in California, analyzing demographics, trends, and the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The report assesses ED use from 2005 to 2016 with a particular focus on rates of ED use following ACA expansion that occurred in…
Read More »On Thursday, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) released an analysis of Governor Gavin Newsom’s FY 2019-20 budget proposals related to individual health insurance market affordability. Citing ongoing legislative and public interest and concern related to healthcare costs, access, and affordability of individual market coverage, the LAO explores two key policy proposals by the Newsom…
Read More »Covered California late last week released an extensive report entitled, “Options to Improve Affordability in California’s Individual Health Insurance Mandate,” which details policy options to lawmakers on ways to enhance the Affordable Care Act (ACA), lower costs for consumers, and improve coverage options. The report was prepared with the input of leading economists and stakeholders…
Read More »The California Future Health Workforce Commission this week released its final report, detailing a series of recommendations to create and sustain the health workforce needed to meet current and future demands throughout the state. The Commission assesses the current state of California’s health workforce, finding a looming crisis in which provider shortages, workforce mismatches, and…
Read More »This week, the Office of National Drug Control Policy released its National Drug Control Strategy, detailing the Trump Administration’s priorities for addressing drug use through education and evidence-based prevention, providing treatment to individuals with substance use disorders, and reducing the access to and availability of illicit drugs throughout the United States. The Strategy details the…
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