About Medi-Cal

More than 15 million Californians rely on Medi-Cal, the state’s health care coverage safety net, for health insurance. Two-thirds of those on Medi-Cal are people of color and often live in communities with a lack of adequate health care providers. Without significant investments to support providers that deliver health care to California’s most vulnerable, millions living in rural and underserved areas are in jeopardy.
Medi-Cal is California’s version of the federal program known as Medicaid. To learn more about CHA’s work to protect Medicaid, visit our federal resource page.
Federal Medicaid Cuts Will Mean Real Harm to Real People Across California
“The cuts to the Medicaid program will mean real harm to real people in communities large and small across California,” said Carmela Coyle, President & CEO of the California Hospital Association. “These are the largest cuts to our health care system ever enacted and are far too deep for hospitals simply to ‘absorb.’” “Hospitals will […]
Senate Passes Landmark Medicaid Cuts, House Poised to Vote Soon
What’s happening: On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed, largely along party lines and with Vice President JD Vance casting the tiebreaking vote, its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) — making even deeper cuts to Medicaid than the House of Representatives’ version that passed just a few weeks ago. California Sens. Adam Schiff (D) and Alex Padilla (D) voted against the legislation.
Senate, House Leadership Face Continued Pressure on Medicaid Cuts
What’s happening: Key Republican members of Congress, led by Rep. David Valadao (R-CA 22), sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) vowing to oppose the Senate’s version of the reconciliation bill if its Medicaid cuts go beyond those in the House bill (H.R.1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act).
DHCS Releases Private Hospital-Directed Payment Encounter Files
What’s happening: On June 13, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) uploaded three new hospital-directed payment encounter files, available via the Secure File Transfer Protocol site, that hospitals must download as soon as possible — they will be deleted within 45 days of the upload date.
CHA Comments on IPPS Proposed Rule
What’s happening: CHA submitted comments in response to the federal fiscal year 2026 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule, highlighting the inadequate proposed net payment update.
Deadline Extended – Urge Lawmakers to Oppose Redirection of Prop 35 Funding
What’s happening: CHA has issued an alert asking members to contact their lawmakers by June 6 and urge them to protect Proposition 35 funding in the 2025-26 budget.