The Healthy California for All Commission (Commission) was developed in December 2019 under Governor Gavin Newsom to create a plan for unified healthcare financing in California as a step towards universal coverage and health equity. In May 2021, The Commission reconvened after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past few months, the Commission has met regularly to discuss the following topics:
- June 2021: Payment models and policy tools supporting unified financing and direct payment, looking at Taiwan as an example
- July 2021: Accountability, integration, and care coordination under unified financing through intermediaries and outcome measurements, looking at Vermont as an example
- August 2021: Behavioral health integration within California’s existing landscape and accountability systems through levers including uniform data systems, health equity scores and workforce support
In the coming months, the conversations will be centering:
- Provider payment rates and methods
- Financing and federal engagement, including a process discussion around the final report
- Transition needs and consumer protections
A parallel community engagement effort funded by The California Endowment, the California Healthcare Foundation, and the California Community Foundation is ongoing and includes 40+ listening sessions with community-based organizations and nearly 1,500 interviews with Californians of diverse racial, ethnic, geographic, and economic backgrounds. Community Health Councils recently convened
enrollment entity partners and stakeholders across California to provide input.
Community Health Councils continues to advocate that the Commission keep equity and communities at the center of health care policy, specifically by promoting engagement between clinics and community organizations to acknowledge the social determinants of health, as well as establishing pipelines for clinical and non-clinical workforce development.
The next Commission meetings will be held on September 21, 2021 (Presentation of Community Engagement Efforts), September 23, 2021 (Payment Options, Cost Control, and Resource Distribution) and September 28, 2021 (Special Meeting on Racial Equity in Health Care). We encourage everyone to participate in the Commission meetings to provide input to the process.
Meeting registration will be posted at: https://www.chhs.ca.gov/healthycaforall/
Public comment can be shared during the meeting or via email to healthycaforall@chhs.ca.gov.