The Blue Sky Consulting Group researched and wrote this report for the California HealthCare Foundation. Medi-Cal is the state’s health insurance program for Californians with low income, including three in seven children, two in nine nonelderly adults, and two in five people with disabilities. It also paid for 39% of all births in the state. In total, over 15 million Californians rely on the program for health coverage.
Wildfires have been increasing in intensity and destructiveness in recent years. This report draws on recent empirical research to estimate wildfires’ economic impacts within the State of California and is the first to provide a comprehensive estimate of their fiscal impact on the State’s General Fund.
Working with a team from Arnold Ventures, the Blue Sky Consulting Group analyzed the potential for automatic savings programs for workers without access to a retirement plan through their employer. We explored the feasibility of these “Auto IRA” programs and identified strategies to help them work better and spread more widely. We also developed a 50 state feasibility model to help states without such a program quickly assess whether and how such a program would work in their region. Project lead Matthew Newman recently wrote a Commentary published in CalMatters discussing the potential for these programs.
FQHCs are as diverse as they are widespread and are integral to the state’s safety-net provider landscape. This report, part of the California Health Care Foundation’s Regional Markets Study series, examines the changing FQHC landscape, focusing on emerging trends and regional differences in FQHCs across the state.
Working closely with the City of Oakland staff, the Blue Sky Consulting Group developed a 5 year forecast for the City’s economy and accompanying expenditures and revenues. These projections formed the foundation for development of the City’s two year budget.
The COVID 19 pandemic brought about nearly unprecedented economic and fiscal challenges. To help the State of California ensure that it could meet its financial obligations over the spring and summer, we worked with the State Controller to develop projections that accounted for the impact of the pandemic-induced economic effects and the delayed filing dates for income and sales tax payments. The model we developed projected daily cashflows and allowed the Controller to simulate a range of alternative scenarios, including a deeper or more prolonged recession, continued reductions in taxable sales, and ongoing high unemployment rates. Our work helped the Controller determine that the state’s reserves were sufficient to allow the state to meet all of its financial obligations without the need for external borrowing.
Helping government agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, and private sector clients tackle complex policy issues with non-partisan analytical tools and strategic insights.
Blue Sky Consulting Group
1999 Harrison Street #1800
Oakland, CA 94612
Copyright © 2024, Blue Sky Consulting Group. All rights reserved.