California Watch
News stories in this section spotlight activities in California, including actions by the state Assembly and state Senate; proposed legislation; regulators like the Department of Managed Health Care and Department of Insurance; and the state ACA exchange, Covered California.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Friday a budget that pares back a number of progressive priorities, including a landmark health care expansion for low-income adult immigrants without legal status, to close a $12 billion deficit. It’s the third year in a row the nation’s most populous state has been forced to slash funding or stop some ...
UC Health and Blue Shield of California, which are at an impasse over the terms of a new contract that could disrupt health care for thousands of Californians, have extended the deadline for reaching a new agreement from July 9 to Aug. 9. This means the thousands of Californians who get medical care at UC ...
Blue Shield of California is cutting broker commissions for new enrollments into Medicare Advantage PPO plans in Alameda, Orange and San Diego counties, effective July 1. The new policy does not affect commission payments of existing membership, according to a June memo sent to brokers. Several large insurers have cut MA commissions recently, including UnitedHealthcare, Elevance Health ...
Genetic testing company 23andMe’s recent sale to a research institute “does not comply” with California’s landmark genetic privacy law, state Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said Monday. What happened: Bonta’s office said the terms of 23andMe’s sale, approved Friday by a federal bankruptcy judge, run afoul of the state’s Genetic Information Privacy Act, which requires companies to ...
“This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.” Citing an investigation by The Markup and CalMatters, lawmakers in the House of Representatives are questioning why California’s state health insurance exchange shared sensitive health data with LinkedIn. In a letter sent last week to Jessica Altman, executive director of the state’s exchange, the lawmakers write ...
It can take a long time to build anything in California. The governor’s office is trying to move fast on mental health projects funded by a new bond.
The California Legislature has just a few days to pass a 2025-26 state budget to meet the state constitution’s June 15 deadline. The budget they enact may bear only a passing resemblance to what will eventually, perhaps many months later, become a complete fiscal plan.
The California Chamber of Commerce says weakening pharmacy networks will drive up employers' drug benefits costs.
Facing higher healthcare costs, Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing adding an “asset test” for applicants for Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services. The test would mean Californians would not be eligible if their assets total more than $2,000.
Sutter Health, a 24-hospital health system based in Sacramento, Calif., is investing $23 million to expand primary and behavioral health care across Del Norte and Lake counties. In a June 2 news release, the health system said the investments aim to expand access and close critical care gaps for patients in rural communities. Six things to know, ...