California has a new regulatory review process that could have implications for healthcare mergers and acquisitions and similar transactions in the state. By way of background, after nearly two years of negotiations with state legislators, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law healthcare omnibus bill SB 184 on June 30, 2022, which created the new Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA). With this new law and state agency, California joins several other states, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington and Nevada in implementing oversight and funding measures geared towards healthcare cost growth targets and containment. While the goal of the law appears to be clear – monitoring and managing the costs of healthcare in California – healthcare industry stakeholders seeking to carry out applicable transactions will now need to be mindful of OHCA’s regulatory review authority.
