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.
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.
A New Era of Health Care Is Coming
“I would also say to anybody who’s designed their business model depending on federal government funding: Get a new model.” – Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
“People say, ‘Well, my hospital is not doing very well.’ Give me the financial statements. I’ll be glad to go through them.” – Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.)
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.
Senate Committee Proposes Drastic Medicaid Cuts
On Monday, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee released legislative language for its version of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a budget bill that would overhaul the nation’s tax structure, in large part through expansive cuts to Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California).
Senate Poised to Make Even Deeper Medicaid Cuts
The U.S. Senate has been toiling this week to modify the House of Representatives’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” with different factions in the GOP angling to put their own imprint on President Donald Trump’s signature tax legislation. Each group has its own goals: Moderates want to protect Medicaid beneficiaries; fiscal hawks want deeper cuts; a handful are pushing to eliminate higher state and local tax deductions (SALT) and others are focused on green energy tax credits, increases in defense spending, sparing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and more.
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.
There Are Ways to Make Care More Affordable, But California Isn’t Making Those Choices
A recent piece in the Orange County Register that took a deep dive into California’s grocery prices calls to mind compelling parallels with the state’s ongoing push for lower health care costs.
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.
Summary Details CMS Proposal to Modify Health Care-Related Taxes
What’s happening: Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to Medicaid health care-related tax rules that pose significant risks to California’s managed care organization (MCO) tax and Hospital Quality Assurance Fee Program.