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.
California is not changing its childhood vaccination recommendations, or its requirement to have health insurers cover the inoculations, after President Donald Trump’s executive order that calls for reducing the number of vaccines U.S. children receive, state health officials say. The executive order, signed this week, calls for scaling back the number of routine childhood vaccinations, splitting the MMR ...
At a Walgreens in this city’s bustling Japantown neighborhood, pharmacist Margaret On stocks two boxes of long-acting insulin pens from California’s new prescription drug label, CalRx, emblazoned with the state’s iconic grizzly bear. Although she hasn’t dispensed any, On plans to keep them on hand. “It’s good to have if a patient comes in and doesn’t ...
A quiet change in California law in 2018 unleashed a deluge of new hospices and spurred millions of dollars in Medicare fraud that state and federal authorities are still trying to unwind. Hospices shared addresses with burrito stands, car repair shops and vacant lots. They piled into nondescript office buildings offering cheap rent, month-to-month leases ...
California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, is slashing asset limits 84% in July 2027. As a result, Medi-Cal members risk losing eligibility — and insurers are feeling the pressure. In 2022, California lifted the asset limit from $2,000 to $130,000 for individuals. CMS eventually approved a state proposal to drop the asset test, but California resurfaced the limits at the beginning of 2026. The 2027 ...
“This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.” Two years ago, California hit a milestone decades in the making: Nearly every person in the state qualified for health insurance, regardless of immigration status and income, pushing the state’s insured rate to a record 95%. Now that progress is unravelling. Facing budget ...
Medi-Cal cuts will strain hospitals already operating at a loss. The fallout: fewer services and higher costs for the privately insured too.
“This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.” In the matter of a few clicks and keystrokes, anyone can find themselves deep in conversation with “Psychologist,” a chatbot character that describes itself as an expert in “empathy” and “active listening.” It responds to messages of anxiety and sadness with reassurance. It ...
California voters will choose between two Democrats for insurance commissioner in November as the state faces growing wildfire risk, skyrocketing insurance prices and some insurers leaving the state. State Sen. Ben Allen and former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim are competing for the office. Allen, who was interviewed in fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades, an area he ...
Many seniors and disabled people in California who need long-term care will soon face a dramatic reduction in assets they can keep and still qualify for Medi-Cal. Starting in July 2027, the individual limit will fall from $130,000 to $21,000, while the limit for couples will drop from $195,000 to $31,000 when they apply for ...
California’s highest court on Monday ruled in favor of Gilead Sciences (GILD.O), opens new tab in a closely watched case addressing whether manufacturers of drugs that are considered safe must try developing drugs that could be safer. In a 6-1 decision, the California Supreme Court ordered the dismissal of negligence claims against Gilead by an estimated 24,000 ...