California Health Care Foundation

We're excited to announce that Melissa Buckley, director of CHCF's Innovation Fund, will speak at the California Medical Association's third annual Health Information Technology Summit. CMA's health IT event will unite thought leaders around the theme "Building the Future." We're proud to support CMA's essential work bringing together physicians, medical groups, health plans, and information organizations to transform healthcare delivery in California. Register today! View the tentative agenda at www.cmadocs.org/healthit #HealthCareInnovation #CaliforniaHealthcare #CMAHITSummit

🎧 New Podcast Episode: Amplifying the Role of Community-Connected Health Workers in Medi-Cal California is reimagining who delivers care by making space for trusted, community-connected providers in its #Medicaid program—from #doulas and #promotores to peer support specialists and health navigators. In this episode of #WorkforceRx, CHCF Senior Program Officer Carlina Hansen joins Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan to explore how California is building the infrastructure to support these providers — highlighting the role of #CommunityCareHubs as key to making these innovations work. “Hubs act as sort of the connective tissue between health plans, providers, and communities,” says Hansen. “They hold the promise to make it easier to connect those community-based providers and their patients to Medi-Cal.”🎙️ Listen for a ground-level look at how California is advancing community-based, whole-person care through an expanded, interprofessional team. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gVRTEJS8 #MediCal #CHWs #HealthEquity #WholePersonCare #CommunityHealth

🔎 Inside this edition of THE CHCF WEEKLY: April 11-17 is #BlackMaternalHealthWeek. See CHCF's Amelia Cobb's insights as we celebrate Black-led organizations driving real change for birthing families. Dive into our weekly newsletter to meet these community champions, plus explore new resources on health care and homeless partnerships, a lay counselor program, and upcoming webinars! https://lnkd.in/g-b62GDX

Provider taxes are an important source of revenue that helps states – including California – pay for their share of #Medicaid costs. Now, federal proposals are seeking to eliminate or limit state options to generate revenue for Medicaid — including banning the use of provider taxes. Families USA's new analysis explores what's at stake for state Medicaid programs and budgets as well as health care access for Medicaid enrollees nationwide. Read the analysis: https://lnkd.in/gu_TtmvE Explore other resources to help you understand the current debate over Medicaid in Washington at CHCF's Defending Medi-Cal in 2025 page: https://lnkd.in/gkjcpFfM

Congratulations to UCSF Fresno on 50 years of training physicians for the #CentralValley! With 40% of graduates staying local and 550,000 patient visits annually, you're transforming health care access where it's needed most. Your commitment to growing "homegrown health care talent" embodies what health equity looks like in action.

Desert Sun reports on what is at stake if proposed Medicaid cuts hit vulnerable areas of California. https://lnkd.in/grSYdHqt

The latest from the California Budget & Policy Center says that work requirements, despite their name, are simply cuts to vital programs, including to Medicaid. The reality: • 3 in 5 adult Medi-Cal enrollees in California already work • Those who don't are often caregivers, students, or managing health conditions • Research shows these requirements don't increase employment • Adding additional administrative hurdles to maintaining coverage would cause massive coverage losses The GAO estimates implementing these requirements would cost states millions to hundreds of millions of dollars—money better spent on actual healthcare rather than additional bureaucracy. https://lnkd.in/gSxvfP8c

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Inside this week's CHCF Weekly: Behind Medi-Cal innovation is a federal approval process that can significantly impact the state's health care systems. Curious how these waivers actually work? CHCF's Katie Johnson Heidorn breaks it down. Also in this edition, protecting Medi-Cal in Orange County and Riverside County, community health workers transforming care, and your opportunity to join our Leadership Program! Read it all here: https://lnkd.in/gcskUQe3

🚀 **Exciting News!** 🚀 Community health workers, promotores, and community health representatives (CHW/P/Rs) are essential to advancing health equity across California. Yet, despite their critical role, they have long faced challenges in securing the investment and infrastructure needed to fully integrate into health care systems. That’s why we’re thrilled to launch the Amplifying Impact Initiative — a new effort to strengthen CHW/P/R Medi-Cal providers who are delivering care through the CHW Medi-Cal benefit and California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) programs. Through this initiative, 28 CHW/P/R Medi-Cal providers will receive grants, technical assistance, and practical tools to help sustainably grow and strengthen the CHW/P/R workforce statewide. Together, we aim to expand culturally responsive health and social services while ensuring CHW/P/Rs have access to high-quality jobs that support their long-term success. Funded by the California Health Care Foundation and Cedars-Sinai, and led by health equity nonprofit Health Leads, this initiative will share live and recorded learning opportunities, promising practices, and impactful stories to support CHW/P/R programs across California. 🔹 Join us! If you’re passionate about the success of CHW/P/Rs—whether in California or beyond—we invite you to attend our first event and stay connected for valuable resources in the months ahead. Register to attend: https://lnkd.in/ggqyvbsY Let’s work together to amplify the impact of CHW/P/Rs! https://lnkd.in/e7GA6pZK #CHW #HealthEquity #CalAIM #CHWMedicaid #CommunityHealth Bright Research Group Tshema [Tesh-ma] Nash, DrPH, MPH