On October 1, 2024, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
submitted a
letter to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) as
notice that DHCS had initiated the data retrieval necessary to
implement an increase to the Hospital Quality Assurance Fee
effective January 1, 2025, which would fund increases to
supplemental Medi-Cal program payments to hospitals that could
support hospitals in complying with, and partially mitigate the
Medi-Cal program costs of, health care minimum wage increases.
Pursuant to
Labor Code section 1182.16(b), this action triggers
implementation of specified minimum wage increases for the health
care workforce required by SB 525 (Chapter 890, Statutes of
2023), the earlier of January 1, 2025, or 15 days after the
notification to the JLBC.
As a result, the minimum wage increases specified in
Labor Code section 1182.16 will be effective on
October 16, 2024. Pursuant to
Labor Code section 1182.14(c)(5), minimum wage increases for
health care facilities owned, affiliated, or operated by counties
are scheduled to begin January 1, 2025.
The Department of Industrial Relations has posted
frequently asked questions about the minimum wage increases,
including links to other resources.
