(a) In developing the waiver framework, the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency shall engage stakeholders to provide input on topics related to discussions with the federal government and key system design issues identified by the Healthy California for All Commission for further analysis.
(1) Stakeholder engagement shall include representatives of consumers, patients, and community-based health care service providers, community organizations, health care professionals, labor unions, employers, and health policy experts, as well as representatives of government agencies and philanthropic organizations focused on health care.
(2) Key system design issues include health care delivery, finance, operations, public administration, the specifics of the transition to a unified health care financing system from the current system, adapting existing consumer protections to the new system, applying reforms to move toward systems that reward and prioritize improvements in health outcomes, health care quality, and health care equity, and how to reduce costs and improve the experience of health care consumers.
(b) The secretary shall, no later than January 1, 2025, provide an interim report to the chairs of the Assembly and Senate Budget and Health Committees that details the agency’s policy priorities and preliminary analysis of issues related to the federal discussions, as well as a summary of the input received to date through the stakeholder engagement process. The secretary shall, no later than January 1, 2025, also propose statutory language to the chairs of these committees authorizing the development and submission of applications to the federal government for waivers necessary to implement the unified health care financing system.
(c) The secretary shall, no later than June 1, 2025, complete the drafting of the waiver framework, inclusive of input gathered through the stakeholder engagement process, make the draft available to the public on the agency’s internet website, and shall hold a 45-day public comment period thereafter.
(d) The secretary shall, no later than November 1, 2025, provide the Legislature and the Governor with a report that communicates the finalized waiver framework, informed by public comment received, and sets forth the specific elements to be included in a formal waiver application to establish a unified financing system consistent with the outcomes of the agency’s discussions with the federal government.
(e) The requirement for submitting the reports specified in this subdivision is inoperative on June 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(f) A report submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 412, Sec. 1. (SB 770) Effective January 1, 2024.)