Earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the 2023-24 final state budget and accompanying budget trailer bills.
The final budget continues to make investments in California’s Master Plan for Aging to remedy longstanding inequities in our systems of caring for older adults and people with disabilities, despite this year’s fiscal downturn.
The final budget maintains the commitment and investment in older adults and people with disabilities made in prior budgets, including: elimination of the asset test in Medi-Cal, expanding Medi-Cal coverage for all ages regardless of immigration status, reforming the Medi-Cal share of cost program, and increasing the grant level for SSI/SSP.
Unfortunately, there were few new investments in this year’s budget, and many one-time investments from prior budgets were not renewed. As the demographics of California continue to shift to an older, more diverse, and less economically secure population, we must continue to advocate for more robust, equitable, and long-term investments in programs that will improve the lives of low-income older adults.
Read Justice in Aging’s summary of the final 2023-24 California State Budget
