The Department of Managed Health Care held public meetings to share the Essential Health Benefit (EHB) analysis and cost estimates, and provided opportunities for public comment on the analysis and the benefits that should be considered for inclusion in the new benchmark plan. The DMHC has also issued public notices on California’s work to update the benchmark plan.
Public Notices:
DMHC Accepting Public Comments on California’s Essential Health Benefits and Updating the Benchmark Plan (3/28/2025)
California intends to apply to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to update the state’s current Affordable Care Act benchmark plan. If approved by CMS, the new benchmark plan will take effect January 1, 2027.
Prior to submitting the application to CMS, the state must provide public notice and an opportunity for the public to comment on the draft new benchmark plan. Today, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) opened the public comment period and posted the following documents to its public website:
You may submit comments regarding the draft benchmark plan and the accompanying documents to publiccomments@dmhc.ca.gov by Monday, April 14, 2025, at 5 p.m. (Pacific Time).
Public Notice on California’s Essential Health Benefits and Updating the Benchmark Plan (3/4/2025)
Prior Public Meeting Information:
Date: Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: 980 9th Street, Conference Room 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814
Members of the public may participate in the meeting by Zoom Video or find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdswNzLJWO, Meeting ID: 840 9693 0925 Password: 374332
Materials:
Agendas, Minutes & Presentations
Public Comments
Any person may submit public comments in writing (by mail or by email). To be considered, mailed comments must be submitted to: Department of Managed Health Care 980 9th Street, Suite 500 Sacramento, CA 95814. Comments may be submitted by email to publiccomments@dmhc.ca.gov. The current public comment period is from March 28, 2025 to April 14, 2025, on California’s application to CMS on the draft new benchmark plan. More information is available under the Public Notices section of this page.