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.
When Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) is sworn in as assembly speaker Monday, it will mark a historic moment in California politics: For the first time, the two top posts in the state legislature will be held by Latinos.
Health care access, quality and affordability will be among the top concerns for the state’s Department of Managed Health Care as it vets the proposed $54 billion merger of insurance giant Anthem Inc. and rival Cigna Corp., the department’s director, Shelley Rouillard, said during a public hearing in Sacramento Friday.
Two of California's largest insurers are trying to build one of the country's most comprehensive health information exchanges, but they're facing reluctance from providers who are hesitant to share their data.
The new health maintenance organization launched by Sutter Health in 2014 more than doubled its membership in 2015, Sutter Health Plus officials say.
The head of Aetna Inc., the nation’s third-largest health insurer, said he supports insurance exchanges, even though he questioned their sustainability earlier this month and lost money in the marketplaces last year.
The notion that mobs of Americans are actively plotting to cheat the Affordable Care Act by waiting until they get sick and then finding an excuse to sign up for health insurance is cherished by two groups: anti-Obamacare conservatives and insurance companies.
The California legislature Monday approved a new health care tax, capping a months-long quest to safeguard over $1 billion in annual Medi-Cal funding the federal government had threatened to take away.
Covered California on Wednesday announced it selected VSP Vision Care as its vision insurance provider for adults statewide.
A $2.4 billion managed-care organization tax package awaiting votes in the California Legislature reflects the heavy imprint of the state’s health insurance industry, which pushed for major changes to avoid any tax hit that could be passed on to customers.
With Covered California's announcement Wednesday that 1.57 million Californians selected health plans during its third open enrollment period, at least one health care expert believes that the nation's bellwether state in implementing the Affordable Care Act is now essentially running in place.