AB 164: Health.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and 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 federal law, H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21), enacted in 2025, sets forth various Medicaid eligibility changes for implementation at different stages of a certain timeline, including changes applied to beneficiaries between 19 and 64 years of age, inclusive, with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, commonly known as Medicaid expansion adults.

Federal H.R. 1 generally requires a Medicaid expansion adult to undergo an eligibility redetermination once every 6 months, instead of an annual redetermination. The federal law generally requires a Medicaid expansion adult to demonstrate community engagement through any of certain methods for the corresponding month, including a minimum of 80 hours of work or community service or a minimum of half-time enrollment in an educational program. The federal law reduces the period of retroactive coverage prior to the date of Medicaid application from 3 months to one month for Medicaid expansion adults and to 2 months for other Medicaid beneficiaries. The federal law requires the state to provide for a process to regularly obtain beneficiary address information from reliable data sources, and to utilize a system to prevent an individual from being simultaneously enrolled under Medicaid state plans or waivers of multiple states.

This bill would make various changes to related state provisions, or would add new provisions, conforming them to the above-described changes under federal H.R. 1. The bill would require a county to accept specified methods of signatures for renewal forms.

Federal H.R. 1 restricts the scope of certain categories of immigrants who qualify for Medicaid eligibility.

This bill would make conforming changes to related state provisions. The bill would also modify provisions regarding individuals with certain immigration statuses, so that they would be eligible for the full scope of Medi-Cal state-funded benefits, subject to certain service limitations.

Sponsors

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 6, 2026Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator Laird.
2. June 29, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
3. June 29, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 5.) (June 29).
4. June 26, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. & F. R.
5. April 2, 2025Referred to Com. on B. & F. R.
6. March 20, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
7. March 20, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 53. Noes 17. Page 745.)
8. March 18, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
9. March 17, 2025(Ayes 53. Noes 17. Page 643.)
10. March 17, 2025Ordered to second reading.
11. March 17, 2025Withdrawn from committee.
12. February 3, 2025Referred to Com. on BUDGET.