Assembly BillIntroducedWelfare and Institutions
AB 2355: Medi-Cal.
What AB 2355 does, verified March 10, 2026
This bill aims to improve access to high-quality healthcare for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The state department of health care services will develop a comprehensive hospital value strategy to advance access to hospital services, incentivize appropriate care delivery, and improve health outcomes. The strategy will focus on rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, and public hospitals. The department will engage with relevant stakeholders, including hospitals, cities, and counties, to ensure the strategy is effective and meets the needs of Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Referred to Com. on HEALTH. (2026-03-09)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions3 total · showing 3
| Mar. 09, 2026 | Referred to Com. on HEALTH. |
| Feb. 20, 2026 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 22. |
| Feb. 19, 2026 | Read first time. To print. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 19, 2026 · 327 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2355
| Introduced by Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Hadwick) (Coauthor: Assembly Member Gallagher) (Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Dahle, Jones, and Ochoa Bogh) |
February 19, 2026 |
An act to add Section 14000.02 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to Medi-Cal.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2355, as introduced, Jeff Gonzalez. Medi-Cal.
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law, the Budget Act of 2025, appropriates funds to the department to create a comprehensive hospital value strategy to advance access to high-quality inpatient and outpatient hospital services, financially incentivize appropriate care delivery, and improve health outcomes for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
In developing the comprehensive hospital value strategy described above, this bill would require the department to engage with relevant stakeholders with firsthand experience, including, but not limited to, hospitals, cities, counties, cities and counties, organizations representing these groups, and other affected stakeholders as the department deems necessary. The bill would require the department to ensure that the comprehensive hospital value strategy includes a focus on rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, and public hospitals.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 14000.02 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:14000.02.
In developing a comprehensive hospital value strategy pursuant to Item 4260-001-0001, Item 4260-001-0143, and Item 4260-001-0890 of the Budget Act of 2025, the department shall engage with relevant stakeholders with firsthand experience, including, but not limited to, hospitals, cities, counties, cities and counties, organizations representing these groups, and other affected stakeholders as the department deems necessary. The department shall ensure that the comprehensive hospital value strategy includes a focus on rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, and public hospitals.Text of AB 2355 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions