Advancing Evidence-Based Policymaking

 through Timely Research

 on Medicaid

CAMRI is committed to producing sound evidence and objective analysis for those who make health policies and health care decisions. CAMRI conducts independent policy analysis and research relevant to the Medicaid program: health coverage, access, costs, and quality. The Institute draws from a large pool of University of California health services researchers to fulfill this purpose.

CAMRI was established in 2006 as a multi-campus research institute under the authority of the University of California's Office of the President. Members of CAMRI's staff are based at UCSF's Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. In 2007, CAMRI established a Master Agreement with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the agency responsible for overseeing Medi-Cal. The Master Agreement proved burdensome for DHCS and therefore CAMRI now works through project-specific contracts with state agencies and other funders.

CAMRI's research projects have spanned a variety of Medicaid topics to date, including: geographic variation in Medicaid beneficiaries' use of health services, the diffusion of health information technology among Medicaid providers in California, patterns in beneficiaries' use of long-term services and supports, mechanisms for monitoring access to care in Medicaid, and the early evaluation of the Low-Income Health Program under California's 1115 Medicaid waiver. CAMRI shares its findings in project and policy reports, peer-reviewed publications, as well as presentations to a variety of Medicaid audiences.

In addition to CAMRI’s state-based studies, it has worked with the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, on a variety of projects since the Commission was funded under the Affordable Care Act.

In 2012, CAMRI launched an internship program in cooperation with DHCS, for students interested in state health policy. This program provides opportunities for students to work at DHCS on major issues of significance to beneficiaries, providers, health plans, and the state government. DHCS has now assumed full responsibility for the program: refer to our Internship page for more information.

CAMRI aims to further the University's mission of research, training, and public service. This goal is facilitated by the involvement of senior faculty from four UC campuses, who themselves are leaders of health policy centers on their own campuses. By bringing together faculty with distinguished track records in health services research from many UC campuses, the UC system is poised to become a more visible and responsive partner to meet the state's needs for policy-relevant studies.