The New Uninsured: State Policy Options for Californians Losing Medi-Cal Coverage
May 6, 2026
California Health Care Foundation
HMA鈥檚 new report for the California Health Care Foundation explains how recent federal and state policy changes could cause up to two million Californians to lose Medi-Cal coverage. These changes will place new strains on the state budget and safety-net system. The report outlines practical short-term program paths California could use to preserve access to care while full-scope coverage is restored. It summarizes the policy and fiscal context (including work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks, and immigrant eligibility restrictions), describes stakeholder-informed design goals (statewide access, privacy protections, fiscal prudence, scalability, and safety-net stability), and presents two illustrative coverage alternatives with modeled cost ranges and key trade-offs in benefits, provider payment rates, cost sharing, and bridge-period design.
