Our first Florida newsletter of 2023 features a conversation with newly appointed House health committee Chair Rep. Randy Fine about his priorities for this session, a breakdown of some of the health-related funding proposals in Gov. Ron DeSantis’s recently released FY 2023-2024 budget, and information on how healthcare leaders in the state are preparing for … Read more

For the first time in over 40 years, there is a Democratic House, Senate, and governor in the state of Michigan, and during Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address, she highlighted how she plans to promote the repeal of the state’s 1931 law banning abortions.     This past week, Whitmer announced her … Read more

On Feb. 1st, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his Framework for Freedom Budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which includes major investments in cancer research and behavioral healthcare. The Framework for Freedom budget totals $114.8 billion, and primary focuses include expanding the economy, restoring the environment, and maintaining health reserves to respond to natural disasters. … Read more

Leaders from both the House and Senate released their respective chambers’ preliminary budgets for the 2024-2025 biennium on Wednesday. Both budgets propose nearly $289 billion from total funds and $130.1 billion in general revenue, some $50 billion short of the $188.2 billion that the state has available to appropriate over the next cycle, including a … Read more

Newly elected Gov. Josh Green, MD, said he will focus on crucial public health initiatives like housing, student loan forgiveness for healthcare workers, and increased Medicaid reimbursements during an inspiring keynote at the 2023 Hawaii State of Reform Health Policy Conference.     “You’re going to have a healthcare state for the next four years,” … Read more

Newly elected Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs released her 2023-24 budget proposal on January 13th, with focus on lowering costs, investing in public education, securing water for the state’s future, and tackling the affordable housing crisis. With a proposed budget of just over $17 billion, Hobbs places her healthcare focus on modernizing and improving systems while … Read more

Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2023-24 proposed budget includes $230.5 billion for all California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) programs. While a primary focus of the budget for CalHHS is on Medi-Cal, the state plans to invest in several other key areas, including child care, supplemental security income (SSI) and opioid.  The proposed budget maintains over $2 … Read more

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced California’s $297 billion 2023-2024 budget proposal on January 10th, which is a notably lower amount than California’s budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year of $308 billion due to budget cuts Newsom made to make up for the state’s deficit.  The budget includes a $230.5 billion investment for the Health and Human … Read more

Official Washington is focused for now on the midterm election, but, when the dust settles on those races, attention quickly will turn to the pressing matters teed up for Congress’s lame-duck session. While an emerging wish list of potential bills, with champions located both inside and outside of Congress, includes many that won’t make the … Read more

Last week, Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill that establishes several health care workforce grant programs with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and the Department of Health Services (ADHS), including the Arizona Nurse Education Investment Pilot Program (Nurse Program).     The bill’s proponents have claimed that this is yet one of … Read more