The Osteopathic Medical Board of California received a quarterly budget briefing on Nov. 14 that showed a multi-month reserve even as staff flagged long-term cost pressures from salaries and pension draws.

Kirsten Cox, a DCA budget analyst, said the board began FY23-24 with a base around $4.29 million and ended the year with roughly $5.05 million (about 15 months in reserve). For FY24-25 the board's projection shows revenues around $3.914 million and projected expenditures near $4.026 million, leaving an estimated reserve close to $4.9 million (about 12.9 months). Cox and Harmony DeFilippo cautioned the figures are based on the governor's budget and will be updated after the January budget release.

Executive Director Erica Calderon told the board staff are pursuing regulatory packets to raise application fees up to statutory caps for some categories, add probation-monitoring costs to disciplinary orders, and expand citation authority to improve enforcement revenue. She also outlined an upcoming increase in CURES fees for licensees (effective April 1, 2025).

On rulemaking, policy staff reported positive progress: the combined regulatory package covering continuing medical education, site-and-find enforcement authority and audit implementation passed pre-review and will be submitted for the 45-day public comment period, then to the Office of Administrative Law. If approved on the Office's review schedule, implementation could occur in 2025. The package includes audit authority for self-renewals and clearer authority to issue site-and-fine penalties tied to statutory enforcement provisions.

Why it matters: The fund condition and fee strategy shape the board's ability to hire staff and sustain enforcement functions. Staff said any new ongoing expenses (including positions) will require either revenue increases or budget change proposals. The regulatory package, if approved, would streamline enforcement and allow the board to enforce new statutory violations more directly.

Notable quote: "We are working on regulatory packets to increase our application fees ... and we're expanding our authority to be able to cite for more violations," Executive Director Erica Calderon said.