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 is putting the current Affordable Care Act preventive services coverage requirements into state law. ACA supporters in the state are hoping the move will protect the preventive services benefits mandates.
State-regulated dental plans in California will soon have to comply with new dentist payment rules. California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed a dental plan payment rule bill. The law created by the bill will require a dental plan to make the default payment system a system that imposes no service fees on the dentists. ...
a host of federally funded healthcare and nutrition programs that serve low-income Americans will be scaled back, revamped with expanded work requirements and other restrictions or canceled altogether if individual states can’t find alternate funding sources.
On September 17, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 144 (AB 144) into law, a move in response to recent changes in immunization recommendations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill, which took effect immediately, mandates that health plans cover a wide range of preventive care services, including immunizations, without cost-sharing or utilization ...
Two prior authorization reform bills have passed the California legislature and are headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. The California Medical Association, which supported the legislation, said in a Sept. 11 news release the bills “aim to dramatically streamline the system, ensuring timely access to care for patients.” If signed by Mr. Newsom, Assembly Bill 512 would: ...
The chaotic national dialogue around immunizations could cause widespread and lasting damage to public health, even in places like the Bay Area where vaccine support remains robust, say experts in infectious diseases. As national leaders, including the United States’ own health secretary, argue about and frequently dismiss the value of vaccines across all ages, public ...
California is seeing a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled in the past month, and wastewater data shows “very high” levels of the virus circulating across the state. The spike comes just as access to updated vaccines is becoming more complicated under the Trump administration, leaving many wondering how they’ll navigate the fall respiratory virus season. According ...
The average rate increase is expected to be higher in Riverside and San Bernardino counties compared to most of the state.
Under the new budget signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Medi-Cal — the state’s Medicaid program — would no longer cover weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy and Zepbound, unless they’re prescribed to treat diabetes. The measure is intended to promote fiscal responsibility.
Willows, Calif.-based Glenn Medical Center plans to close its emergency department, with the hospital closing shortly after, following CMS’ plan to revoke its critical access hospital designation, effective Oct. 21. “We are absolutely heartbroken to have to make this decision,” Lauren Still, GMC hospital administrator, said in an Aug. 22 news release shared with Becker’s. “Our ...