Californians Must Have Health Insurance In 2020, Or Face Penalty
October 15, 2019
A new state law going into effect Jan. 1 requires Californians to have health insurance in 2020 or face a penalty on their state taxes. Read More
California Watch Posts
California’s New Transparency Law Reveals Steep Rise In Wholesale Drug Prices
October 15, 2019
Drugmakers fought hard against California’s groundbreaking drug price transparency law, passed in 2017. Now, state health officials have released their first report on the price hikes those drug companies sought to shield. Read More
More Middle-Income Californians Can Now Get Health Insurance Subsidies
October 15, 2019
Open enrollment for Covered California, the state marketplace that sells subsidized health insurance to Californians who do not get insurance through their employer, begins Tuesday and ends Jan. 31. Read More
Signing Up for Medi-Cal or Covered California: Everything You Need to Know Before Enrolling
October 15, 2019
Starting in January, Californians will be required to sign up for health insurance or face a $695 tax penalty under the new state mandate. Read More
Extent Of Health Coverage Gains From California Gig Worker Law Uncertain
October 8, 2019
A new California law that reclassifies some independent contractors as employees, requiring they be offered a range of benefits and worker protections, will likely expand health insurance coverage in the state, health policy experts say. Read More
Drug Companies Conspire to Keep Prices High, Will Newsom Disrupt ‘Pay for Delay’?
October 8, 2019
It’s shocking how far pharmaceutical companies go to keep drug prices high. Take, for example, a tactic known as “pay for delay.” It allows pharmaceutical companies to keep cheaper generic versions of their drugs off of the market. Read More
California Issuers May Push Off-Exchange Enrollees Toward Exchange
October 8, 2019
Managers of Covered California say participating health plans will be encouraging off-exchange enrollees who qualify for exchange subsidies to switch to exchange coverage. Read More
Medi-Cal’s Outdated Computer Enrollment Systems Can Leave Patients Without Coverage When They Need It Most, Experts Say
October 8, 2019
Sylvia Valenzuela was in bed for two months early in her pregnancy because of severe nausea and vomiting caused by a rare condition. At a time when she desperately needed ongoing medical care, the Fresno resident says she suddenly lost her Medi-Cal coverage through no fault of her own. Read More
California Bill May Have Ramifications for Telehealth Reimbursement
October 8, 2019
In late September, the California state senate approved a bill, AB-744, that if passed would result in telehealth being reimbursed at the same rate as an in-person doctor's visit. The bill is expected to be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, and could eventually have ripple effects that touch telehealth reimbursement across the country. Read More
44-Year Political Battle Flares Anew
October 8, 2019
California’s longest-running single-issue political battle, over limits on damages in medical malpractice lawsuits, is about to heat up again. Read More