California’s Health Care Transformation: A Vision for a Resilient Future
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Since 2019, California has embarked on a series of major health care reforms that have reshaped the state’s health system. From Medi-cal expansion and CalAIM to new workforce initiatives and data exchange, these changes represent some of the most transformational health policies in state history.
understanding how these initiatives work together — and their collective impact on Californians’ access to care — can be challenging. To provide perspective on these reforms, The CHCF Blog invited Marko Mijic, who held senior positions at the California Health and Human Services Agency (calhhs) for nine years, including serving as undersecretary from 2021 to 2024, to share his insights. As someone who helped develop and implement many of these policies, Mijic offers a unique perspective on how thay fit into California’s broader strategy.
A Vision for Healthy California
California has a transformative vision for building a Healthy California for All, which goes beyond expanding access to health insurance coverage and health care. Under Governor Gavin Newsom’s leadership, the state aims to achieve better health outcomes by building a more resilient safety net system and robust economy. A healthier population leads to increased productivity and economic participation.
This vision aims to close gaps starkly exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A strong safety net drives economic stability, strengthens communities, supports population health, promotes shared prosperity, and enhances overall economic well-being.
Aligning Health Care Delivery with People’s Needs
The core of this vision is CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal), focusing on whole-person care through preventive services and coordinated care. It addresses non-medical drivers of health outside clinics or hospitals by emphasizing prevention over crisis reaction.
calaim serves as the foundation connecting multiple efforts aimed at reforming California’s safety net through cooperative federal partnerships. Continuous improvements across administrations are necessary while remaining grounded in everyday Californians’ needs despite political changes.
Following Blueprints for Future Success
- Master Plan for Aging
- Master Plan for Developmental Services
- Master Plan for Early Learning & Care
The latest Medi-Cal managed care contracts redefine expectations prioritizing integration between physical/mental services while addressing non-medical drivers like food/housing/transportation access creating an equitable quality service system statewide!
Behavioral Health Care Provides Essential support
- Increasing behavioral healthcare accessibility/integration centralizes support within communities served via Proposition One/BH-CONNECT initiatives ensuring comprehensive mental/substance use service availability statewide!
- Historic $4 billion investment Children Youth Behavioral Initiative prioritizes prevention early intervention addressing mental needs before escalation fostering long-term community resilience holistically improving outcomes!
- Investments behavioral Continuum Infrastructure Program Community Expansion ensure community-based shielding crises prioritize resilience well-being supporting organizations expanding capacity catching individuals families experiencing homelessness incarceration offering protection stability institutions!
- Affordability efforts calrx Office Healthcare Affordability curb prescription drug growth publishing prices developing policies reducing out-of-pocket expenses consumers making costs enduring lowering barriers seeking needed success leading improved productivity enhanced growth !
An Equitable Resilient System Benefits Everyone!
Volume complexity overwhelming turning puzzle pieces cohesive reality sparking cultural change equity implementation unapologetic progress sleeves build hope possibility justice labor-intensive endeavor requiring time discipline openness providers organizations plans embrace shift collaboration trust principles working together realizing promise diversity strength obligation taking one another demands resilience commitment transformation challenges unavoidable active engaged participants obstacles arise retreat deeper solve creatively adapt together !
- Affordability efforts calrx Office Healthcare Affordability curb prescription drug growth publishing prices developing policies reducing out-of-pocket expenses consumers making costs enduring lowering barriers seeking needed success leading improved productivity enhanced growth !
