2025 Policy Priorities
2025 Policy Priorities
AB 1312 will require hospitals to screen patients for financial assistance (free or discounted care) before they get their first bill for patients who are: uninsured, enrolled in Medi-Cal or other means-tested public assistance programs, experiencing homelessness, or will the hospital more than $500.
AB 403 would require the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide an annual analysis to the Legislature and the public on the utilization of Community Health Worker (CHW) Medi-Cal benefit beginning July 1, 2027.
Thanks to several important policy changes, including ending unfair exclusions from Medi-Cal based on immigration status, close to 94% of all Californians are insured today — down from a high of 15% uninsured prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But these gains – and the health and economic benefits they create – are at risk!
CPEHN and partners are asking for $5M to be allocated to restore rates. If adopted, this budget rate increase campaign would increase the reimbursable rate to $32.58 per half-hour visit from $26.66, putting more dollars in the pockets of these health heroes.
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AB 1312 will require hospitals to screen patients for financial assistance (free or discounted care) before they get their first bill for patients who are: uninsured, enrolled in Medi-Cal or other means-tested public assistance programs, experiencing homelessness, or will the hospital more than $500. Under current law, hospitals must provide financial help for low and moderate income patients that can’t afford to pay their hospital bills, but many patients are unsure if they qualify, and applying for financial assistance can be difficult. AB 1312 will ensure hospitals are proactively offering financial help so patients who would be eligible for assistance aren’t being saddled with hospital debt they can’t afford to pay.
Learn More!
AB 1312 Fact Sheet for Community Members
AB 1312 Hoja Informativa Para la Comunidad (En Español)
Take Action!
Submit a letter of support to the Assembly Health Committee
- AB 1312 will be heard in the Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday, April 29th
- Letters of support are due Wednesday, April 23rd by NOON
- Instructions on how to submit a latter and a sample letter
Share Your Story!
Have you or a loved one experienced hospital debt? Share your story to help us pass AB 1312 so we can make getting financial help and paying hospital bills easier and prevent Californians from falling into medical debt. Share your story here.
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In the almost three years that the CHWPR benefit has been in effect, little information has been released by the DHCS regarding the utilization of the benefit and the CHWPR workforce providing services for the benefit.
AB 403 would require the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide an annual analysis to the Legislature and the public on the utilization of Community Health Worker (CHW) Medi-Cal benefit beginning July 1, 2027.
A severe lack of data has made it increasingly difficult to identify and address the many implementation barriers and to evaluate the availability of and effectiveness of those services in addressing well documented disparities in health outcomes.
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Take Action & Learn More
Thanks to several important policy changes, including ending unfair exclusions from Medi-Cal based on immigration status, close to 94% of all Californians are insured today — down from a high of 15% uninsured prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But these gains – and the health and economic benefits they create – are at risk! A small group of Republicans is exploiting a national trend of high health care costs to demand California exclude Californians and families from health care coverage based solely on their immigration status. Rather than trying to tackle the underlying issues head-on, Republicans who are bent on undermining Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for wealthy corporations are threatening the health of hundreds of thousands of Californians and the incredible progress California has made to have a healthier population and prevent even greater costs down the road. We can’t go back.
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CHW/P/Rs are at the forefront of addressing health disparities, particularly for underserved and culturally diverse communities. CHW/P/Rs bridge cultural and linguistic divides to generate improved health outcomes for Medi-Cal beneficiaries, making them indispensable in advancing health equity in California. A study in 2023 used a simulation model to estimate CHW/P/Rs total cost for a 30-min CHW visit. The study found that the average cost nationwide would be an average of $53.24 and $67.81 in California. Currently, CHWs receive $26.66 as the Medi-Cal reimbursable rate for a half-hour visit which causes undue stress, inequity in care, and threatens essential services due to the low reimbursement rate. CPEHN and partners are asking for $5M to be allocated to restore rates. If adopted, this budget rate increase campaign would increase the reimbursable rate to $32.58 per half-hour visit from $26.66, putting more dollars in the pockets of these health heroes.
Learn More!