Governor Newsom capped off his inaugural festivities on Monday by announcing a health care expansion package, dubbing it the California For All health care plan.
The plan includes the following elements:
- Prescription Drug Purchasing: The Governor signed an executive order on Monday that takes steps to create a single purchaser system for prescription drugs in California.
- Coverage Expansion: The Governor is proposing to expand Medi-Cal to undocumented adults ages 19 through 25 who otherwise meet the program’s eligibility requirements.
- Affordability: The Governor is proposing to increase subsidies for families who already receive them under the Affordable Care Act and to expand subsidies to California families that don’t qualify for assistance enrolled in Covered California. The proposal would provide subsidies for families with incomes between 400 and 600 percent of the federal poverty level. To pay for increased financial help for families, the budget proposes to reinstate the individual mandate at the state level.
- Federal Flexibility: The Governor sent a letter to President Trump and Congressional leaders calling of the federal government to empower states like California to enact changes that would allow California to develop a single-payer health system to achieve universal coverage, contain costs, and promote quality and affordability.
- California Surgeon General: The Governor also signed an executive order to establish a California Surgeon General. This new position will lead all Californians in addressing the root causes of serious health conditions, such as adverse childhood experiences and the social determinants of health.