Lawmakers and DHCS spar over May Revision Medi‑Cal cuts as public voices opposition

Assemblymember Dawn Addis, chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health, convened a hearing to review the governor's May Revision proposals affecting Medi‑Cal and other health programs, drawing sustained public comment and sharp questioning from legislators.

The May Revision proposes roughly $12 billion in general‑fund solutions and identifies the Medi‑Cal program as a major target for reductions and cost controls. "We are making decisions that shape real lives," Addis told the room as she opened the hearing.

Why it matters: Medi‑Cal is California's largest health program; witnesses at the hearing said it covers about "just under 15,000,000 Californians." Committee members and advocates warned that proposals in the May Revision would concentrate burdens on low‑income Californians, older adults, people with disabilities and people without satisfactory immigration status.

Key proposals described by DHCS

Michelle Voss, introduced in testimony as director of the Department of Health Care Services, outlined the department's May Revision package and the administration's rationale for the proposals. Her overview included: - A proposed freeze on new enrollment for the state's full‑scope, state‑only Medi‑Cal expansion for adults 19 and older with "unsatisfactory immigration status," effective no sooner than Jan. 1, 2026. DHCS estimated that the freeze would reduce new enrollees by 32,000 in the budget year and accumulate to 672,000 by budget year plus three if continued. - A proposed $100…