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.
Anger over rising health care prices is boiling over in California. But good long term results rarely emerge from a red-hot pot.
The city of Los Angeles accused top drugmakers and distributors Thursday of fueling the nation's opioid epidemic by engaging in deceptive marketing aimed at boosting sales of powerful, addictive painkillers such as OxyContin, methadone and fentanyl.
California’s leading gubernatorial candidates agree that health care should work better for Golden State residents: Insurance should be more affordable, costs are unreasonably high, and robust competition among hospitals, doctors and other providers could help lower prices, they told California Healthline.
California health regulators have allowed poor care to proliferate at nursing homes around the state, and the number of incidents that could cause serious injury or death has increased significantly in recent years, according to a stinging state audit released this week.
A California Democrat has introduced a proposal for Obamacare that Senate Republicans backed during their repeal and replace efforts last year. The legislation from Rep. Ami Bera would allow states to set up programs that automatically enroll people in Obamacare plans or in Medicaid, depending on which programs they qualify for. People would have 60 days to opt out of the health insurance.
The head of the California ObamaCare marketplace is urging the Trump administration to restore outreach funding to encourage people to sign up, warning of higher premiums if the step is not taken.
Last week, a bill that would dismantle California’s health care delivery system as we know it was introduced in the Legislature. Assembly Bill 3087 would penalize millions of patients through massive cuts in services and result in as many as 175,000 hospital workers losing their jobs.
In today’s economy, operating a small business on a day-to-day basis — even without having to sift through the vast number of health care options for your employees — is more than just a full-time job. Common misconceptions and a lack of understanding about specific aspects of health care benefits can cause headaches for even the savviest business owner. The good news is that resources, such as brokers and employee benefits advisers, can help chart a clear path through the health care insurance marketplace.
As the state contemplates major changes as to how health care will be financed and delivered, California gubernatorial candidates have outlined their positions.
Word & Brown General Agency has added a small group health option to its California portfolio: Oscar. The addition of Oscar’s new business plans gives brokers and employers in Los Angeles and Orange County more choice when it comes to finding a flexible health insurance plan to meet the diverse needs of different employee groups.