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.
The idea of a government-run universal health care program that would replace private insurance as the sole payer of health care costs faces many headwinds. It had fallen onto the backburner after lawmakers failed to get it done, with some balking at the $392 billion estimated annual cost.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has positioned himself as a national public health leader by staking out science-backed policies in contrast with the Trump administration. After Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez for refusing what her lawyers called “the dangerous politicization of science,” Newsom hired her to ...
Managers of Anthem Blue Cross think that in-network hospitals in California should use in-network physicians to treat health plan participants. The Elevance Health subsidiary announced earlier this week that it will impose a 10% payment penalty on some in-network hospitals and other health care facilities that bill patients for care provided by out-of-network doctors. “Participating facilities ...
Despite the loss of federal subsidies that lowered costs for millions, California’s private health insurance marketplace held nearly steady this enrollment season. In all, 1.9 million Californians renewed their plan or selected one for the first time — a 2.7% drop compared to last year. A closer look, however, shows that Californians are making concessions ...
Gov. Gavin Newsom named San Francisco County’s CARE Court program as one of the lowest-performing in California on Monday, as part of a new effort to bolster his signature mental health care program. “Through CARE Court, we have seen inspirational stories of recovery and resilience, but many counties continue to lag behind their peers,” Newsom ...
An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and other front-line Kaiser Permanente health care workers will return to work on Tuesday after a four-week strike in California and Hawaii to demand better wages and staffing. The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals said in a statement Monday that “significant movement at the bargaining table” prompted an ...
DRIVING THE DAY: Tom Steyer is telling union leaders in California that he’d back a special election to raise corporate taxes in his first year as governor as he tries to solidify his claim to the progressive lane in a crowded Democratic field, Melanie Mason scoops. Steyer confirmed the discussions in an interview and said the details of such ...
“This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.” An array of charts buried in the fine print of the state budget, unknown to all but a few fiscal nerds, details what California has collected in revenues and spent over the last half-century. The current charts in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2026-27 budget reveal ...
Assemblymember Ash Kalra has tried a handful of times over the past few years to institute massive changes in the state's health care system.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced it will be closing seven clinics due to significant cuts in funding. The department said it has faced more than $50 million in federal, state and local funding cuts. A statement from the department said the cuts, along with the increase in operational costs, have led to the ...