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.
For much of this year, progressive lawmakers, labor unions and advocacy groups have pushed Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature to shore up the state’s healthcare system against federal cuts by taxing corporations more. After all, proponents argued, Republicans in Washington, D.C. cut into healthcare programs for California’s most vulnerable residents to pay for ...
“This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.” California lawmakers adopted a $356 billion state budget late Monday that would largely avoid or delay billions of dollars in social service cuts Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed last month. Then, the (real) budget negotiations can begin. The vote was only a formality, because ...
When Congress allowed covid-era subsidies for health insurance to expire, California used its own funds to offset the hike in Obamacare premium costs for residents with low incomes. But the reach has been limited. As Gov. Gavin Newsom negotiates his last budget with the legislature, the Democrat wants to offer financial help to more than ...
Healthcare costs in the U.S. are growing faster than inflation, and the U.S. spends significantly more than other comparable nations on healthcare. And according to one healthcare executive, this is unsustainable. “The healthcare system is bankrupting and failing us. It requires systemic reform, and it’s not going to come from inside the industry,” said Paul Markovich, president ...
“This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.” For the first time since California insurance commissioner became an elected position, two Democrats will vie for the job in November. The top two vote-getters in the June primary were former San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Jane Kim and state Sen. Ben ...
The state constitution requires a new budget to be adopted by June 15, leaving little time for Newsom and legislative leaders to resolve many billions of dollars in differences, particularly those involving health and social welfare services.
“This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.” Gavin Newsom is trying to finish his governorship on a high note, claiming he has written “a balanced budget structurally for 18 months” that would give his successor some breathing room. The word “structurally” is the key feature Newsom is touting because for ...
The executive order directs state agencies to evaluate a range of approaches, including “safety net” options for displaced workers.
Facing higher premiums and the loss of federal subsidies, 374,000 people with health insurance from the state marketplace known as Covered California canceled their coverage in the first three months of the year, according to government statistics. The cancellations amount to 19% of those who had renewed their policies on the state marketplace during open ...
A crack that formed by chance in an overheated chemical tank in Southern California relieved pressure and helped avert a catastrophic explosion, but officials said Tuesday it still wasn’t safe enough for 16,000 people living closest to the aerospace plant to return home. The crisis forced 50,000 people to evacuate in and around the Orange County city ...