California’s 337 general acute care (GAC) hospitals discharged 2.8 million patients and had 40.1 million outpatient visits in 2020. This quick reference guide provides an overview of the state’s GAC hospitals, including number of beds, use of services, and selected financial measures.

California’s emergency departments (EDs) provide a critical source of health care to people with acute medical conditions or who have experienced trauma or injury. EDs are expected to treat all patients regardless of their ability to pay. California Emergency Departments: A Critical Source of Care looks at the most recent data on supply, visits, and wait times, as well as trends from 2009 to 2019.

Most California health care markets are highly concentrated, with hospital markets in particular approaching monopoly levels in many counties. Studies show that mergers of health care companies result in increased prices for services. This report compiles evidence about consolidation and provides potential considerations for policymakers.

While hospital utilization fell dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, California's hospitals still recorded nearly $3.5 billion in net revenue in 2020, with Medi-Cal providing the greatest revenue increase.

Federal regulations that went into effect in January 2021 require hospitals to release "clear, accessible pricing information" about their services. This analysis shows that only a minority of California hospitals are fully compliant with this new policy.