2026 Policy Priorities

As part of our “Our Health, Our Future” budget campaign, we are urging Legislators to take the following actions:

• Reject the Governor’s FY 2026-27 budget proposal to strip full-scope Medi-Cal from approximately 200,000 of California’s most vulnerable immigrant groups – including refugees, survivors of domestic violence/trafficking, aslyees, and crime victims.
  
• Invest at least $4 million in one-time funding to bolster the urgent work of community health workers, promotoras/es, and representatives (CHW/P/Rs) to help them keep communities connected to care as the Medi-Cal system rapidly changes.
  
• Reverse the scheduled July 1, 2026 elimination of full-scope adult dental benefits for adults with unsatisfactory immigration status (UIS).

AB 2551, the Behavioral Health Affordability Act, aims to hold health plans accountable for gaps in behavioral health networks by requiring plans to survey and publicly report how many enrollees seek out-of-network mental health and substance use care, why (including lack of culturally or linguistically responsive providers), and how much consumers pay after cost-sharing; it directs state insurance regulators to produce an annual summary of these findings and related network requests/determinations; and it adds an optional licensing renewal question for providers about current insurance contracting to improve directory accuracy and monitor contracting trends by region, language, and provider type—measures intended to reduce out-of-pocket costs, advance parity and equity (particularly for communities of color, LGBTQ+, and limited-English speakers), and address provider-network shortages.

SB 915 closes the gap between existing law and practice by empowering health care provider entities with the tools to uphold the privacy, health and visitation rights of patients brought in under immigration custody and work to ensure patients have continuity of care after discharge. SB 915 establishes clear guidance to safeguard patient rights, including restricting the use of blackout policies and standardizing protocols to prevent immigration enforcement officers in patient care areas, and strengthens discharge planning to better protect patient health and safety after leaving the facility.