Latest news with #Medi-Cal
Politico
5 hours ago
- Business
- Politico
Washington reality check hits Sacramento
Presented by KEEPING SCORE: California Democrats are working to hammer out their moving target of a budget while keeping their eye on the storm clouds from Washington. As we reported this morning, Democrats are weighing potential revenue options to offset the state's $12 billion spending gap and are keenly aware that deep cuts in federal health care spending being negotiated in Congress would upend their plans. That tension became clear today as the Congressional Budget Office estimated the House budget plan would increase the federal deficit by $2.4 trillion within a decade — even after booting 7.8 million people off Medicaid nationwide. 'They can't throw enough people off health care to pay for this tax cut,' Senate Budget Chair Scott Wiener told Playbook. If Assembly Budget Chair Jesse Gabriel's caffeine stack of coffee and Coke Zero is any indication, weary state lawmakers still face a fiscal climb as they oscillate between spending negotiations and hitting the Friday deadline to move their bills from one house to the other. 'The more we learn about the details of this awful bill the more concerned we become,' Gabriel said in a statement to Playbook. 'It is an absolute horror show that would have disastrous consequences for our state.' While lawmakers are busy circulating vote cards and feverishly pushing their colleagues to vote for their bills, budget drama is unfolding in the background. Gabriel has spent much of the marathon floor sessions off the green carpet in meetings with budget leaders in both houses that at least once stretched into the evening, necessitating an emergency pizza delivery. California was struggling to afford its health care programs even before the threat of federal cuts intensified. Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed capping Medi-Cal enrollment for the state's undocumented population following a years-long expansion that became far more costly than initially thought. Progressive Democrats are pushing hard for their colleagues to consider corporate tax hikes to help pay for those Medi-Cal benefits. Those involved in the efforts insist lawmakers in both the Senate and the Assembly are taking proposals to make wealthy individuals and corporations pay up seriously. In the Assembly, Democrats have circulated a revenue survey obtained by Playbook. It asks members their opinion on how the body should 'approach potential new revenue/taxes.' Lawmakers could select from three options: Playbook was still awaiting the results at the time of publication, if any friendly parties are interested in sharing them (wink wink, nudge nudge).IT'S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to lholden@ WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY HIGH-SPEED SNAG: President Donald Trump's administration today announced that it's moving to terminate two grants totaling roughly $4 billion that were previously awarded to California's beleaguered high-speed rail project, our Sam Ogozalek reports for POLITICO Pro subscribers. In a letter to Ian Choudri, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the Federal Railroad Administration blasted the state, saying the agency 'has no confidence CHSRA will ever deliver an operating high-speed rail system,' wrote Drew Feeley, acting FRA administrator. The grant cancellations would affect a planned portion of the line from Merced to Bakersfield. A spokesperson for the rail authority in a statement said CHSRA disagrees with the federal government's conclusions, calling them 'misguided' and not reflective of the 'substantial progress' made on the project. The spokesperson added that the majority of funding has come from the state, not the FRA, and that Newsom's latest budget proposal would provide enough money over the next 20 years to complete the project's initial operating segment. 'The Authority will fully address and correct the record in our formal response to the FRA's notice,' the statement read. IN OTHER NEWS SOLAR STANDOFF: The Assembly left solar advocates fuming last night when it suspended a procedural waiting period to advance a proposal that would reduce subsidies to legacy rooftop solar customers, our Camille von Kaenel reports for Pro subscribers. The procedural rule in question requires the chamber to wait a 'full calendar day' after any amendments in order to vote on a bill. But lawmakers suspended that rule to approve Assemblymember Lisa Calderon's AB 942, which she had amended Monday to exempt schools and farms. The bill is now in the state Senate. ANTI-RTO CAUCUS: Republican Assemblymember Josh Hoover, Democratic Assemblymember Robert Garcia and 15 other lawmakers signed a letter urging Newsom to delay his mandate that state workers return to the office four days per week, which is set to start on July 1. Hoover and Garcia pushed the governor to delay the executive order until the state auditor can complete a study the Joint Legislative Audit Committee approved after the governor ordered state workers back to the office two days per week last spring. They noted the potential for the mandate to 'exacerbate our budget shortfall and hamper our ability to protect important programs from devastating cuts.' 'Given the significant implications of the return to work order, we believe it is critical to fully understand the impacts of telework on our state budget and workforce prior to making a decision to reduce its use,' the letter said. WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — The FBI arrested Daniel Park, a 32-year-old from Washington, for charges related to the bombing of a fertility clinic in Palm Springs. (The Associated Press) — Yucca Valley resident Thomas Eugene Streval pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of making threats online to shoot President Donald Trump shortly after the 2024 election. (Los Angeles Times) — The San Jose City Council settled a civil-rights lawsuit on Tuesday with a $620,000 payout to seven people who say they were targeted and injured by police during protests related to the death of George Floyd. (Mercury News) AROUND THE STATE — The San Diego City Council approved an 18 percent fee hike for ambulance rides over the next three years, but they say those increases will mostly be paid by insurance companies. (San Diego Union-Tribune) — The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority ratified a new contract with their workers' union and awaits approval from their board of directors. (Mercury News) — San Francisco budget officials considered and then quietly discarded a plan to charge property owners $100 a year for their driveways. (San Francisco Chronicle) — compiled by Nicole Norman
Politico
14 hours ago
- Business
- Politico
Clock ticks on progressives' tax push
Presented by MONEY MAKER — This year in the California Legislature, tax season falls in June. Progressive Democrats racing against a looming deadline to approve the state budget are pressing to hike taxes on large corporations to address California's $12 billion budget shortfall while minimizing cuts. But they haven't agreed on how to do it and are running out of time. Rank-and-file Democrats in the Assembly and Senate are floating an array of proposals, from targeting offshore tax havens to penalizing companies that employ large shares of Medi-Cal recipients, according to interviews with more than a dozen lawmakers. 'We know that if we're going to mitigate these budget cuts, that we really have to have a solution,' said Assemblymember Sade Elhawary, a first-term lawmaker from Los Angeles. Still, Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas have given no public indication of support as they grind through budget negotiations, though some of the lawmakers said Senate leaders are further along in their deliberations. The lack of consensus — and a fast-approaching June 12 deadline for the Legislature to get a joint budget proposal into print — have imperiled attempts to raise revenue and limit cuts. Even if a two-house deal is struck, legislators would need buy-in from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has swatted down Senate-backed tax hikes during his tenure, even if he did agree to suspend some corporate tax breaks last year. Nevertheless, progressives see a need, if not an opportunity, to pursue tax hikes on big businesses as the state faces projected shortfalls each year through 2029 and as Republicans in Congress mull major spending cuts to Medicaid and other programs. Related: 'Lawmakers consider new corporate taxes to stave off Medi-Cal cuts' (POLITICO Pro) Assembly Democrats met behind closed doors Tuesday and discussed raising taxes for 'water's-edge' filers — multinational companies that do business in California — according to one lawmaker who was at the meeting. They also talked about placing higher taxes on people's second and third homes. Senators in recent days have pushed to make corporations pay more, perhaps by penalizing businesses that have large numbers of employees with low enough incomes to qualify for Medi-Cal — a proposal that moderates stopped back in 2013. But tax issues didn't come up Tuesday during a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting, said an attendee. SEIU California has floated several proposals to Newsom and legislative leaders, and union members Saturday solicited signatures for a letter that outlined some of them, which Playbook obtained. Cuts to spending on in-home care, including to providers' overtime, in Newsom's May budget proposal have prompted the union to get involved. Members of the Latino Caucus — which is fighting the governor's proposal to cap Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants and require those recipients to pay premiums — have pitched tax increases as a way to prevent those reductions. 'We're not accepting a two-tier system,' said Elhawary, a member of the Latino Caucus, who is pushing for increased taxes. 'I think that we probably have a majority in both houses that are really looking at it. It's just figuring out which are the best options.' The Medi-Cal issue, along with a heftier spending plan from the Senate, have created disagreement between the chambers, according to two of the people interviewed, who were granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations. If tax-hike talks peter out during this summer's budget negotiations, they could still come back in the fall. State Sen. Anna Caballero predicted the Legislature will likely have to come back then and adjust its budget if and when Congress passes its megabill. Tax increases will be necessary, state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez argued — 'especially if we see the Trump big ugly bill pass.' — with help from Tyler Katzenberger and Lindsey Holden GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. ON THE AIRWAVES BILINGUAL GOP — The NRCC is defending President Donald Trump's budget megabill by going on the offensive with a Spanish-language ad blitz in the Central Valley. The digital ads accuse Democratic House members of supporting the 'largest tax increase in generations' by opposing the GOP's efforts to extend 2017 tax cuts. Among those targeted are battleground Reps. Adam Gray and Josh Harder — as well as Reps. Jim Costa and Raul Ruiz, whose districts lean bluer but have shifted closer to Trump in recent cycles. Christian Martinez, the NRCC's national Hispanic press secretary, said those Democrats' votes against the bill 'betrayed our Latino communities.' Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers have hammered the GOP over the bill's provisions that would slash spending on Medicaid, food stamps and other safety-net programs. CONVENTION EXTRAS REFUND THE POLICE? — One item that flew under the radar at the California Democratic Party's convention last weekend: the party's complete about-face on the 'defund the police' movement. Party delegates approved, on a simple consent vote, a resolution that calls for 'full staffing' in police departments. The measure passed with little fanfare, on the final day of the convention after many delegates had already boarded flights home from Anaheim. But it illustrated just how much the pendulum has swung in terms of how Democrats view issues of police accountability. Just five years ago, delegates to the party's 2020 convention approved a resolution — amid a national debate about race following George Floyd's murder — that stated the 'California Democratic Party supports police defunding.' It called for redirecting money to programs to combat the unjustified use of lethal force against people of color. The latest resolution was sponsored by San Francisco County Democratic Party leaders and was part of a larger package of proposals to shift Democrats away from so-called identity and performative politics. Marjan Philhour, a San Francisco party official who wrote the resolution, said its approval suggests party insiders are ready for new messaging on law-and-order issues. She said the 'defund the police' movement alienated many Chinese and AAPI voters who had traditionally leaned Democratic. 'The extreme left is facing a reckoning,' said Philhour, who's vying for a seat on San Francisco's Police Commission. 'Public safety is really core to the functioning of cities.' STATE CAPITOL CHEERS — Assemblymember Matt Haney's bill to give cities the option of allowing bars to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. on weekends in dedicated zones cleared the Assembly on Tuesday and is headed for the Senate. The passage was no small feat. More sweeping proposals to allow some bars to stay open until the same hour have failed year after year in the state Legislature, including a 2022 proposal that fell far short of the votes it needed in the lower house. CLIMATE AND ENERGY SOLAR WARS PT. III — The saga of California's ever-evolving rooftop solar subsidies is set to take a turn today when the California Supreme Court hears arguments for and against the California Public Utilities Commission's role. At the same time, lawmakers are set to take their own bite out of the debate with consideration of a bill that goes even further than the CPUC in slashing subsidies. Read more about the fights in last night's California Climate. Top Talkers BRIBERY PROBE GROWS — Federal prosecutors told San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo that he is the target of an investigation into potential crimes including bribery and lying to federal agents, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California sent a letter to Azevedo on May 12, telling him to contact prosecutors if he was 'interested in resolving this matter short of an indictment.' HIGH STAKES — Sales at California's cannabis stores have hit a five-year low following an 11 percent drop in transactions, SF Gate reports. Experts have warned that the industry is in trouble, plagued by high regulatory fees, taxes and competition from the unlicensed market. AROUND THE STATE — The Fresno Police Department has 66 open positions despite having the largest force in the city's history. (The Fresno Bee) — A 70-year-old man in El Sereno is protesting his eviction by camping out in a tree house in his backyard — five years after he illegally seized the vacant state-owned home. (Los Angeles Times) — San Luis Obispo County's first battery plant, the Caballero Energy Storage project, is up and running. The facility can power 100,000 homes for up to four hours. (The San Luis Obispo Tribune) PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Charlie Arreola is the new director of external affairs and partnerships at the state Office of Exposition Park Management. He previously served as the Southern California organizing director for Harris for President in 2024. — David Bournazian has joined the firm Norton Rose Fulbright's product liability and consumer disputes practice as a partner in the Los Angeles office. He joins NRF from K&L Gates. — Anthony Martinez is now manager of marketing and communications at the California ISO. He previously served as senior communications adviser and digital director at DOE throughout all four years of the Biden Administration. BIRTHDAYS — Christian Arana at the Latino Community Foundation … Meta's Ryan Daniels … Andre de Haes at Backed VC BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Tuesday): Jacqueline Hartsough in the office of Rep. John Garamendi … (was Monday): Emeryville Councilmember Courtney Welch (cocktail: tequila, neat with lime) WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Health Net Providing Special Assistance to Members and Providers Affected by Victoria Island Levee Incident in San Joaquin County, California
SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following Gov. Newsom's declaration of a State of Emergency in San Joaquin County, Health Net, one of California's most experienced Medi-Cal managed care health plans and company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), is taking immediate action to support those affected by the Victoria Island Incident. The company's priority is ensuring both its members and healthcare providers have the resources they need during this critical time. Member Prescription Information During a declared State of Emergency, impacted members have two options to secure an emergency supply of their medications: Members can fill their prescription at the original pharmacy if it is open. If the original pharmacy is not open, members can call Health Net at 1-800-400-8987. We will suspend refill limitations so they can get their prescriptions at an out-of-network pharmacy. Coping Support for Members Members can call Health Net Behavioral Health Services for crisis support 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-800-400-8987 (TTY: 711). This includes: Support to help them deal with grief, stress or trauma Referrals to mental health counselors, local services and telephone consultations Members: Video Medical Appointments If members cannot reach their primary care provider during a declared State of Emergency, Health Net offers telehealth services at no cost. Members can find appointment instructions in two places: On the back of their Health Net ID card On after registering and signing in Access to Social Services To connect with local community resources, members can call 2-1-1 or visit for help with: Emergency shelter, food and transportation Social services and financial assistance Legal guidance from verified agencies Information for Healthcare Providers During a declared State of Emergency, doctors and nurse practitioners may call Health Net at 1-800-641-7761 for assistance. To support these participating providers in affected areas, Health Net will: Extend grace periods for notifications, beginning on the admission date, for acute services, post-acute care, durable medical equipment (DME), medical supplies and home health care services Waive prior authorization – however, our notification requirement will remain in effect despite relaxed deadlines In addition, Health Net will: Authorize out-of-network services if a contracting provider or facility becomes unavailable Grant post-admission notification approvals for impacted facilities. Accept updated clinical documentation for continued-stay reviews. Authorize the replacement of medical equipment or supplies. Suspend prescription refill limitations for impacted enrollees Ongoing Support & Updates As the situation evolves, Health Net may take further action to support members and providers. For the latest updates, visit About Health Net Founded in California more than 45 years ago, Health Net, a company of Centene Corporation, believes that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Today, we provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size and people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare. With more than 117,000 of our network providers, Health Net serves more than three million members across the state. We also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services, employee assistance programs and managed healthcare products related to prescription drugs. We make these health plans and services available through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a leading healthcare enterprise committed to transforming the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time. Health Net and Centene employ more than 5,700 people in California who work at one of five regional Talent Hub offices. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Health Net
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Gov. Newsom proposes ‘asset test' for low-income and disabled Medi-Cal applicants. What does that mean?
Millions of Californians who rely on Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services could lose eligibility under a proposal requiring recipients to prove their assets total less than $2,000. Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent revised budget proposal highlighted a stark $37.6 billion increase in funding costs associated with Medi-Cal between the 2024 and 2025 fiscal year, compared to $17.1 billion in the 2014 through 2015 fiscal year. The dollar amount needed to fund the program is expected to continue rising over the next several years. The cost has been driven up by a surge in enrollment, pharmacy costs and higher managed care costs, according to the budget proposal. The Medi-Cal caseload reported an increase of 12.7 million recipients between 2019 and 2020 to 15 million in 2024 through 2025. Medi-Cal is the state's health care program that provides free or low-cost health coverage for those who qualify, specifically low-income adults and families, seniors and individuals with disabilities. In-Home Supportive Services provides in-home assistance to eligible aged, blind and disabled people as an alternative to out-of-home care. Newsom has proposed tackling the rising costs of the programs by reintroducing what is called the 'asset test' to limit eligibility for the Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services programs. For decades, low-income seniors and those with disabilities had to pass the 'asset test' to be eligible for Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services programs. That meant that a single applicant couldn't qualify if they had assets valued more than $2,000. The limit for a couple was $3,000. To determine whether someone had $2,000 or not, the state would look at a person's bank accounts, the amount of cash they had in hand and whether they had a second vehicle, among other analyses. In 2024, the test was eliminated, allowing all-income eligible people to apply for Medi-Cal's Aged and Disabled program, Med-Care Savings programs and Long-Term Care program regardless of assets. Newsom has proposed reinstating the 'asset test' and include in that evaluation the value of a person's primary home, vehicle or retirement fund for both Medi-Cal and Home Supportive Services programs. Reinstating the test would purportedly save an estimated $94 million this coming fiscal year, $540 million the next year and $791 million annually thereafter, which includes costs for Home Supportive Services, according to the California Department of Health Care Services. If approved, the 'asset test' would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026. Disability and health advocates are criticizing the governor's proposal, with the nonprofit group Disability Rights California calling it a willingness to 'sacrifice the health and human services of California's people, particularly the disabled, poor and elderly populations.' 'Disability Rights California and many others fought tirelessly for years to get this asset limit eliminated, finding it to be a deeply inhumane and punitive approach, the change just went fully into effect in 2024, and it is truly disturbing to see the Governor reverse course so quickly,' the nonprofit said in a statement. Reinstating the 'asset test' would result in 'people losing coverage and force older adults and people with disabilities into extreme poverty,' said the nonprofit organization California Health Advocates. The organization says the individuals who would lose coverage as a result of the proposed policy change could ultimately become 'Medi-Cal eligible again once they have exhausted any resources they have.' 'As a result of losing access to care, the costs to the state when they regain eligibility will likely increase because their condition will have worsened and they may no longer be able to live at home, thus requiring full time nursing facility care,' the organization said in a statement. Newsom defended his proposed budget cuts saying, 'None of this is the kind of work you enjoy doing — but you've got to do it. We have to be responsible. We have to be accountable. We have to balance the budget.' The Legislative Analyst's Office determined that seniors made up just under 10% of Med-Cal enrollment in December of 2024. The largest category of Medi-Cal enrollees is families, followed by childless adults aged 19 to 64 who qualify under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, seniors, persons with disabilities, children in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other enrollees. Families and enrollees of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act make up about three-quarters of Medi-Cal enrollment. Even though the number of senior enrollees is relatively low compared to other groups, the state spends heavily on them, with annual costs per enrollee of around $15,000 compared to $8,000 across other caseload categories. To fund most Medi-Cal programs for families, seniors and those with disabilities, the federal government provides a 50% match, compared to other programs like the Affordable Care Act and Children's Health Insurance Program which gets an enhanced match of 90% and 65%, respectively. 'While higher health care costs are expected as people age, seniors also carry higher state costs due to the standard federal reimbursement rate,' according to the report.
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Prop 56 Cuts: Patients Will Suffer from Lack of Access to Proper Dental and Oral Healthcare – Leading to Severe and Costly Chronic Health Problems
ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Western Dental, California's largest Medi-Cal dental provider, with 223 offices in 35 counties across the state, will be forced to close offices if the current proposal to cut Proposition 56 funding moves forward. The company is evaluating the extent of the expected closures, along with other measures to offset the significant impact to dental offices. Proposition 56, a measure overwhelmingly passed by California voters in 2016, directed revenue from a new tobacco tax to increase access to care for individuals and families that qualify for Medi-Cal (California's version of Medicaid) dental services. Prop 56 has not only made it possible for California dentists to provide access and care to more patients but also allowed new providers to open their doors and create a more stabilized and equitable health care system throughout the state, including areas where dentists were previously in short supply for everyone. 'Medi-Cal dental has been significantly under-resourced for decades. Proposition 56 provided critical funding that helped Western Dental open more than 100 new offices across the state and serve millions of patients, many in underserved areas who were otherwise without access to care,' said Preet Takkar, Chief Executive Officer of Western Dental. 'The current budget proposal represents dramatic cuts to dental reimbursement rates, which would make it impossible to keep many of these new offices open, while also impacting additional practices statewide. This proposal would reignite the dental access crisis that existed before the passage of Prop 56 and would ultimately cost the state more in the long run. Unfortunately, dental practices like ours across California will have to make tough choices—reassessing staffing, hours, and office locations—if this funding is eliminated.' Today, Western Dental employs more than 4,000 people in California, including more than 750 dentists and hygienists who provide more than 1 million Medi-Cal patient visits every year. 'Dental care is more than just getting your teeth cleaned. It's essential primary care for children and systemic care for adults,' said Dr. Peter Truong, Western Dental's Chief Dental Officer. 'If dental care is eliminated or reduced, patients suffer adverse health consequences, including tooth decay, gum disease, systemic health issues and social and economic impacts that are far more costly to treat. Eliminating access to dental care will have significant health consequences for millions of Californians. 'Western Dental will be forced to make hard decisions in the coming weeks and months, should Prop 56 funding be eliminated. Unfortunately, that will likely include closing as many as 50 offices, reducing staff in many offices and reducing the number of Medi-Cal dental patients each practice is able to treat. The choices made by the Governor and California State Legislature will have a direct and immediate impact on access to necessary health care and jobs lost should Prop 56 funding be redirected and removed from dental care' added Mr. Takkar. About Western Dental Western Dental has been serving California communities for over 100 years, with a strong commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable dental care. With over 200 locations across the state, Western Dental provides a full spectrum of services including general dentistry, orthodontics, and pediatric care — creating a convenient, comprehensive 'Dental Home' for families across California. As part of the Sonrava Health family of brands, Western Dental shares in the mission to expand access and drive innovation in dental care.
