Health Care Task Force Update

The February 27th East Bay Leadership Council Health Care Task Force centered their discussion around Governor Newsom’s 2019 budget proposal and its implications for health funding. The proposed budget includes significant increases to Medi-Cal funding related to expanding access, changes to pharmaceutical purchasing, and the expiration of the Managed Care Organization Tax. The state’s Legislative Analyst Office has reviewed elements of these proposed changes (available here: https://lao.ca.gov/) and the Task Force will continue to monitor the budget in the coming months.
 
The Task Force also discussed the social determinants of health and future projects the Task Force could support or contribute toward. These proposals included addressing concerns about decreased funding for reproductive health services and researching “Blue Zones” (https://www.bluezones.com/) as an approach to wellness that may benefit the East Bay.