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.
Floor sessions on Tuesday in the state Senate and Assembly were fast-paced affairs. The deadline to pass bills out of their house of origin is June 5 so the legislation queue on Tuesday was pretty long and resulted in a rapid-fire pace. The Senate passed a high-profile measure to expand coverage to some undocumented immigrants. A ...
On Monday, CMS publicly released new online data that reveal hospitals’ Medicare charges and payments, as well as what doctors billed, in 2013, Modern Healthcare reports (Herman, Modern Healthcare, 6/1). Background The data were unveiled at the Health Datapalooza conference in Washington, D.C. (CMS release, 6/1). It is the third straight year that Medicare has ...
On Thursday, California lawmakers advanced measures related to childhood vaccine requirements, the state’s prescription drug database and physician-assisted suicide. However, legislators also shelved several health-related measures. The decisions come ahead of a June 5 deadline for bills to be approved by at least one body of the state Legislature. Childhood Vaccine Bill A bill (SB ...
Sometimes, paying more upfront can cost less in the long run. That has been the case for a collaborative effort of the state’s largest for-profit health insurance company and a handful of doctor groups that worked to coordinate the care of 200,000 patients with multiple chronic conditions. Today, Anthem Blue Cross of California is announcing ...
A proposal to expand health care to Californians in the country illegally cleared the Senate on Tuesday, passing on a 28-11 vote and heading to the Assembly. Senate Bill 4 would allow undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance on the state exchange, pending a federal waiver, and enroll eligible children under the age of 19 ...
A new survey shows that 44% of Covered California policyholders find it difficult paying their monthly premiums for Obamacare coverage. And a similar percentage of uninsured Californians say the high cost of coverage is the main reason they go without health insurance. The issue of just how much people can afford will loom large as ...
Western Dental will begin to close the door to new Denti-Cal patients next month - and will shut some offices altogether - as the company reassesses participation in the state dental program for the poor.
A big shift in the individual health insurance market in 2014 gave the California Department of Managed Health Care the most enrollment in all three sectors of commercial insurance.
Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to make more managed care organizations pay a state tax - one likely to be passed on to consumers - is meeting resistance at the Capitol.
The number of Californians with health coverage through small employers dropped below enrollment in the individual market for the first time, a new study shows.