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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.

Everything Californians Wanted To Know About Their Health Plan (But Were Afraid To Ask)

It can be well worth the effort to go up against your health plan if it denies you treatment you think you need.

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Hospitals Say They’re Being Slammed By Drug Price Hikes

Hospitals are getting slammed by drug price hikes that often have nothing to do with improving patient health, a new report has found.

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Are Blues’ Plans Benefitting Unfairly From Program To Offset Cost Of Sicker Patients?

Some health insurers say they’re paying too much to rival Blue Cross Blue Shield plans under a key pillar of the federal health law designed to compensate insurers that take on sicker and more expensive patients.

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HealthCare.gov Will Add “Simple Choice’ Plans in Effort to Improve Value

When the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace opens in two weeks, many consumers will have a new option for the law’s fourth open-enrollment period: standardized health plans that cover basic services without a deductible.

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Would California’s Proposed Tobacco Tax Hike Reduce Smoking?

Each time over the past decade or so that New York state increased its tobacco tax — now at $4.35 per pack of cigarettes — calls to the state’s Quitline spiked.

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Covered California Resolves Pregnancy Snafu

Covered California has fixed its computer system to prevent pregnant women in a certain income range from being transferred into Medi-Cal without their knowledge or consent.

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What Would A Public Insurance Option Look Like In California?

The “public option,” which stoked fierce debate in the run-up to the Affordable Care Act, is making a comeback — at least among Democratic politicians.

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So You Think Obamacare Is A Disaster? Here’s How California Is Proving You Wrong

Even as turmoil in insurance markets nationwide fuels renewed election-year attacks on the Affordable Care Act, California is emerging as a clear illustration of what the law can achieve.

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The Word & Brown Companies Recognized with Inaugural Gold Stevie Award for Great Employers

The Word & Brown Companies have been named employer of the year winner in the insurance category at the inaugural Stevie® Awards for Great Employers.

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Medicare Sign-Ups: How to Prepare for 2017 Changes and Avoid Scams

Seniors, look out. Your Medicare plan may have checked out.

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