Ensuring Investments in Public Health and Reform Implementation
The California state budget is a reflection of the state’s values and priorities—and Health Access seeks to ensure that it includes all needed investments in health for all our residents. The 2015-16 budget process begins in January with the unveiling of the Governor’s budget priorities for the coming year.
The California Health and Human Services Agency is among the largest areas funded by the state budget – second only to elementary and secondary education. The Medi-Cal program is the largest single program operated directly by the State of California, and Health and Human Services take up about one-third of the state’s general fund. Health programs such as Medi-Cal, Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM), Managed Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP), are an integral part of our health care system, providing cost-effective health care coverage to twelve million Californians—a third of California’s population.
These health programs provide a vital link for Californians who would not otherwise be able to afford health coverage and health care on their own. When the state’s fiscal outlook grew dim, health programs were often among the first targets because of their sheer size in the state budget. But it is when the economy is bad that these programs are needed most. During hard times, Californians lose jobs, income, and whichever benefits they may have had. To get back on their feet they need access to vital health care programs, and these programs should be fully funded to meet that need.
Health Access continues to fight to keep these programs whole through hard times and to invest in them where it makes sense to do so or where there are significant returns on the taxpayers’ investment.
Health Access Analysis (2016/17 and earlier)
- 2016 Budget Scorecard (updated June 10, 2016)
- Health Access Comments for Budget Conference Committee (June 1, 2016)
- Health Access Comments on Proposed 2016-17 Budget (March 3, 2016).
- Budget Scorecard 2016-17-Governor’s Proposed Budget (January 8, 2016).
- Blog: Legislature Holds Informational Hearing on MCO Tax (February 11, 2016).
- Blog: Initial #CABudget Reaction: No New Cuts with MCO Tax–But Recession-Era Health Cuts Continue (January 7, 2016).
- Budget Scorecard 2016-17-Governor’s Proposed Budget (January 8, 2016).
- Budget Scorecard 2015-2016-FINAL BUDGET (Revised June 19, 2015).
- Gov. Brown’s May Budget Revision: Key Investments Still Needed (May 14, 2015). A Health Access Budget Briefing.
- Health Access CA Letter Re-Governor’s Proposed 2015-2016 Budget to Senate & Assembly Budget Subcommittee Chairs (February 17, 2015).
- Governor’s Budget Continues Health Reform Implementation and Recession-Era Health & Human Services Cuts (February 2015) – a Health Access Issue Brief.
- 2015-2016 Budget Scorecard, Revised (February 2015)
- Final Budget Summary (July 2014).
- What Governor Brown’s 2013-14 Proposed Budget Means for Health Care in California – A fact sheet highlighting health care issues in the Governor’s proposed budget. (January 2013)
- Analysis of Prop. 31: Bad for California’s Health, Makes a Bad Budget Process Worse (September 2012)
- Final 2012-13 California Budget Includes Harmful Cuts to Health Care (June 2012)
- California Budget Seeks to Limit Access to Health Care (May 2010)
- Medi-Cal Proposed Budget Cuts (May 2010)
- Cuts to Health Care Are Bad for California’s Economy: Proposed Cuts Woud Eliminte Over 42,000 Jobs (March 2010)
- A First Look at the 2010-2011 Health Care Budget (January 2010)
- Damage Already Done: A Report on the 2009 Health Care Budget Cuts Six Months In (January 2010)
- The 2009-2010 Budget: Huge Hits to Health Care (October 2009)
- Budget Deal Update: What We Know About Health Care Cuts Today (July 2009)
- Real Cuts, Real Pain: Vital Medi-Cal Benefits Eliminated for Over 2 Million Californians (June 2009)
- The Worst Prescription: Analyzing the Economic Impacts of Health and Human Services Cuts (June 2009)
- Budget Update: Health Care Cuts in the Ongoing Budget Crisis (June 2009)
- Resuscitating Ailing Economy, Investing in Health Care (May 2009)
- Understanding California’s Budget: Implications for Health Care (February 2009)
- Health Care Budget Cuts Scorecard (January 2009)
- Mid-Year Budget Cuts Update (December 2008)
- Health Care Budget Cuts Scorecard 2008 (September 2008)
- Adverse Reaction: Proposed Health Budget Cuts Would Lead to Increased Premiums (August 2008)
- Significant Side Effects, Economic Impacts of Health Care Cuts in California’s Communities (August 2008)
- Not Just a One-Time Cut: Permanent Policy Changes in Governor’s Budget Would Deny Coverage to Over 1 Million Californians (June 2008)
- Analysis of the 2008-2009 Health Services Budget (May 2008)
Other Resources
- State of California E-Budget
- California Budget Project (www.cbp.org)
- Legislative Analyst’s Office
- Assembly Budget Committee
- Senate Budget Committee
- Department of Finance
- California Budget Project (www.cbp.org)
- HHS Network (Budget Advocacy Coalition)
- Legislative Analyst’s Office
- Assembly Budget Committee
- Senate Budget Committee
- State of California E-Budget
- Department of Finance