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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.

Kaiser Permanente California Ranks Highest in J.D. Power Member Satisfaction Study

Kaiser Permanente was ranked highest for customer satisfaction in California for the eighth consecutive year — ahead of all other health plans statewide that were included in the study — according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Member Health Plan Study released this week.

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Possible Explanation Offered for Delayed Medi-Cal Termination Data

State officials have said they're handling about one million renewals a month for Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program. It's a process that started in June 2014.

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Hospital Industry Changes To Take Hold Across Calif., Expert Says

The hospital industry in the San Francisco Bay Area is undergoing a "shakeup" as small and independent facilities undergo sales, potential closures and other changes -- a trend that experts say could spread throughout the state as the federal government works to reduce health care costs, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

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Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones Tries Again to Expand Power

A reliable maxim of Capitol politics is that big money begets heavy-duty politicking – and in 21st century California, nothing is bigger than health care.

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Obamacare: Agents Signed Up 43% of New California Enrollment

California fell short of its second-year enrollment goal for Obamacare, but don’t blame insurance agents. They accounted for 43% of new enrollment in Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange. That compares with 30% of people who enrolled themselves online or 10% who turned to a certified enrollment counselor or navigator. The strong performance of ...

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The Boss May Be Able To Force You To Buy Company Insurance

Under the health law, large employers that don't offer their full-time workers comprehensive, affordable health insurance face a fine. But some employers are taking it a step further and requiring workers to buy the company insurance, whether they want it or not.

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HHS Secretary: Supreme Court Ruling Against Obamacare Would Harm Millions

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell on Monday rebuked critics who want the Supreme Court to invalidate Obamacare's subsidies in much of the country, saying such a ruling would harm millions of Americans who "need, want and like" their health coverage.

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Covered California Takes Steps To Improve 2016 Rx Drug Coverage

Covered California is taking steps to finalize prescription drug benefits for its 2016 health plans, Capital Public Radio's "KXJZ News" reports.

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Obamacare’s Projected Cost Falls Due to Lower Premiums Under Health Care Law, CBO Says

The estimated cost of President Obama's signature health care law is continuing to fall.

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Rural Hospitals Get Billions In Extra Medicare Funds

A law that allows rural hospitals to bill Medicare for rehabilitation services for seniors at higher rates than nursing homes and other facilities has led to billions of dollars in extra government spending, federal investigators say.

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