The Future of Medi-Cal Commission Advisory Group met this week and continued conversations around a very wide-ranging set of concepts to expand the Medi-Cal program. These themes center on creating a more member-centered, integrated, and outcomes-driven Medi-Cal system. The group discussed simplifying eligibility and enrollment, improving navigation and access, strengthening community-based and interdisciplinary primary care, and designing payment models that provide more predictable support for high-value care while appropriately incorporating performance incentives. The concepts also envision clearer accountability across delivery systems, greater regional coordination, and stronger delivery-system capacity, particularly for high-need populations.

The group also discussed financing, governance, data, and technology infrastructure needed to sustain transformation. Concepts include establishing a transparent financing baseline, developing a sustainable payment architecture, maximizing federal funding while identifying durable state financing, and aligning authority and accountability. The commission also emphasizes a member-controlled health record; interoperable data and analytics; responsible use of AI with privacy and governance safeguards; reduced administrative burden for providers; and a “learning health system” that uses Medi-Cal’s data to continuously evaluate programs, support innovation, and improve member outcomes. While these concepts are aspirational and cover a significant breadth of issues, no details about how to achieve these aims are currently available

Last week, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Joseph M. Quinn ruled that CHA’s lawsuit against the Office of Health Care Affordability can proceed and that the court will rule on the merits of the case. 

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What’s happening: Prior to its next meeting on Sept. 23, CHA submitted a comment letter to the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) calling attention to the fact that key hospital information — gathered at a July workshop and submitted in 43 hospital letters ahead of OHCA’s comment deadline — was summarily disregarded before the board’s August vote on penalties.  

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What’s happening: Two hospital fee program invoices were due on Aug. 26. Hospitals that have not yet paid these invoices in full should do so as soon as possible.  

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What’s happening: As of the Sept. 14 deadline, 77 hospitals had not yet downloaded their Private Hospital Directed Payment (PHDP) volume reports and encounter detail files for August.  

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What’s happening: CHA has joined the California Primary Care Association in opposing Proposition 44. This initiative would require community health clinics to spend 90% of their revenue on program services.  

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What’s happening: The Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) is replacing its Patient Registry and Hospital Hub platforms with California Patient Outcomes Portal (CAL-POP) and California Hospital Online Portal (CHOP), respectively, and establishing new platforms for specialty care data submission and electronic patient care record (ePCR) access.  

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What’s happening: This week, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) proposed draft regulations implementing Assembly Bill 2975, which was passed in 2024 and requires that hospitals implement weapons detection screening at the main hospital entrance, emergency department entrance, and labor and delivery entrance if separately situated.  

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Thank you for registering. Below are important instructions and materials you will need to participate in the webinar.

Date: September 28, 2026
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.