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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.

How Single-Payer Healthcare Became the Biggest Policy Flashpoint in California’s Race for Governor

When Gavin Newsom campaigns on his support for a California single-payer healthcare system, he's talking about more than the virtues of universal care. He's trying to sell himself as a bold visionary.

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California Association of Health Plans Launches “We Bring” Campaign

The California Association of Health Plans (CAHP) today launches the “We Bring” education campaign to raise awareness about how health plans are serving a critical role in the state’s health care system and driving satisfaction for their members.

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California Insurer Faces Whistleblower Complaint Over Health Law Taxes

A federal whistleblower complaint alleges that a major California insurer failed to pay an estimated $89 million in taxes on premium revenue as required under the Affordable Care Act.

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Coffee Companies Prepare to Battle California Cancer Warning Labels

A fleet of major coffee brands is gearing up for a long haul fight against California’s coffee warnings. The companies say that the trace amounts of acrylamide — a cancer-causing chemical — found in coffee do not warrant a label, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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California Aims To Tackle Health Care Prices In Novel Rate-Setting Proposal

Backed by labor and consumer groups, a California lawmaker unveiled a proposal Monday calling for the state to set health care prices in the commercial insurance market. Supporters of the legislation, called the Health Care Price Relief Act, say California has made major strides in expanding health insurance coverage, but recent changes haven’t addressed the ...

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California Seeks to Intervene to Defend Obamacare in Court

California on Monday jumped into the middle of a legal dispute over the future of the federal Affordable Care Act, seeking to preserve the law that is under assault in the courts by 20 other states.

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Investigation Into Sale of Short-Term Health Policies Leads to $5 Million Settlement with HCC Life Insurance Company

Today the California Department of Insurance (CDI) reached a $5 million settlement agreement with HCC Life Insurance Company stemming from a multistate market conduct examination of HCC Life's short-term health insurance business. As part of the $5 million multistate payment, California will receive just over $1 million.

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Sutter Health Unfairly Inflates Medical Costs in Northern California, AG Alleges

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Friday that, after a six-year investigation, he has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Sacramento-based Sutter Health in San Francisco Superior Court, alleging that the health-care company has used its market power to control prices and exclude competition.

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Teva, Valeant Price-Hike Plans Trigger Warnings Under California’s New Transparency Law

California is among a group of states that have taken drug prices into their own hands, with lawmakers last year passing a bill aimed at shining new light on the pricing process. Now, the state is starting to see early results. 

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California Hospitals Try to Block Proposal to Ban Medicaid Providers From 340B

Sarah Hesketh of the California Association of Public Hospitals — which represents 21 hospitals that are all both disproportionately reliant on Medicaid and enrolled in 340B — said that should providers decide to stay enrolled in 340B to get discounts for their Medicare patients they would continue to be subject to the 340B provider rules banning them from group negotiations for lower drug prices. This would have the unintended consequence of hurting the providers who care for the most Medicaid patients.

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