November 2026 – Wesley G. Bradford, MD, MPH
California lawmakers sent 1,160 bills to Governor Gavin Newsom. 14 CAFP-supported bills were signed, but 4 were vetoed, which:
- Would have been forbidden health plans from rescinding or modifying treatment authorizations after the provider has rendered the services in good faith;
- Would have established a feasibility study on establishing a UC medical school branch campus in Kern County;
- Would have allowed health plan subscribers the option of adding a dependent to the subscriber’s plan consistent with open enrollment requirements;
- Would have set reimbursement rates for pharmacist Medi-Cal services.
CAFP Staff and a founding program director of the Sierra Nevada Family Medicine Residency Program met with the Legislative Analyst’s Office to discuss California’s primary care workforce needs and the role of residency training in addressing physician shortages, highlighting the importance of family medicine residency programs.
The Full CAFP Policy Compendium for current policies can be downloaded at https://www.familydocs.org/policy/. Individual subsections of this Compendium can be downloaded separately. CAFP policies are adopted by the CAFP Board at any time of the year. CAFP members can propose a policy resolution to the CAFP Board. (2027 Resolution Submissions are now open.) CAFP reminds us that Civic Engagement is a Year-Round Responsibility for Family Physicians in these challenging times.
As major provisions of H.R. 1, the 2025 Federal budget “One Big Beautiful Bill” you may have heard about, begin taking effect, CAFP is launching an information guide on key implementation dates, federal policy changes and implications for California patients and Family Physicians. Timely alerts will also be available on the CAFP Legislative Update newsletter and the CAFP 365 app, with links to more-detailed posts on the CAFP website. Provisions affecting Medicaid, Medicare, Covered California and other healthcare areas will be covered as implementation moves forward.
New federal restrictions on Medicaid and CHIP eligibility for some immigrants are now in effect. California is trying to continue state-funded Medi-Cal coverage to affected individuals during this transition. Beginning January 1, 2027, Medi-Cal members with UIS will transition from managed care to fee-for-service Medi-Cal. Additional H.R. 1 provisions in January will include Medicaid work and community engagement requirements, more frequent eligibility redeterminations and reductions in retroactive coverage.
Family Physicians living or working in Los Angeles County are entitled to vote for new LA Chapter leadership positions to the 2027 LAAFP Executive Board. Complete your online ballot by Sunday, November 8, 2026, at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/9073538/2027-Los-Angeles-Academy-of-Family-Physicians-Leadership-Ballot. The results will be published in the LAAFP Newsletter.
