Thanks to your ongoing advocacy, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 128, a portion of the $262.2 billion Fiscal Year 21-22 State Budget; However, our advocacy continues as State Legislators and Governor Gavin Newsom are still reviewing the omnibus health trailer bills AB 133 and SB 133. These trailer bills include funding for programs that will help expand health care access to our patients. We need your help in asking our state legislators and the Governor to include funding for telehealth in the omnibus health trailer bills and to sign the bills today.
Thanks to your advocacy efforts the current omnibus health trailer bills include the following:
• Telehealth – A commitment by state legislators and the Department of Health Care Services to maintain Medi-Cal PPS payment for video and audio-only telehealth at the same rate as an in-person visit through December 31, 2022. Their agreement will also create a stakeholder process to begin to design telehealth policies beginning January 2023 and beyond.
• Health4All – Expands Medi-Cal coverage to income eligible Californians who are 50 years of age or older, regardless of their immigration status by May 1, 2022.
• Workforce – Makes significant investments to healthcare workforce and training programs, including $83.3 million to the Song Brown Workforce Training Program, which helps train and sustain primary care workforce residencies in areas of high need.
Take action by visiting the California Health Plus Advocates’ toolkit and share a short video on social media explaining why telehealth is important to you. Your voice will help us remind Governor Gavin Newsom why it is important for him to approve omnibus health budget trailer bills.
