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.
The average rate increase is expected to be higher in Riverside and San Bernardino counties compared to most of the state.
Under the new budget signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Medi-Cal — the state’s Medicaid program — would no longer cover weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy and Zepbound, unless they’re prescribed to treat diabetes. The measure is intended to promote fiscal responsibility.
Willows, Calif.-based Glenn Medical Center plans to close its emergency department, with the hospital closing shortly after, following CMS’ plan to revoke its critical access hospital designation, effective Oct. 21. “We are absolutely heartbroken to have to make this decision,” Lauren Still, GMC hospital administrator, said in an Aug. 22 news release shared with Becker’s. “Our ...
Millions of consumers will feel the pinch when rates already expected to rise will jump even further. Federal subsidies, set to expire at year’s end, are partly to blame.
In response to recent federal legislation that cuts billions of dollars to Medicaid, Santa Clara County supervisors on Thursday unanimously voted to add a ballot measure to November’s special election that would increase local sales tax by five-eighths of a cent (0.625%) for five years to try to backfill some of the projected lost federal ...
A proposal advancing in the legislature would require California hospitals to pre-screen patients for charity care before sending out medical bills.
More than 2,300 Californians enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program will lose their health insurance next month due to a change in federal policy, state officials announced Thursday.
Fortina Hernández is called “the one who knows it all.” For more than two decades, the community health worker has supported hundreds of families throughout southeast Los Angeles by helping them sign up for food assistance, sharing information about affordable health coverage, and managing medications for their chronic illnesses. She’s guided by the expression “an ...
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente plans to lay off 42 nurses at two outpatient clinics, attributing the decision to shifting volume patterns and patient care needs, according to July 18 reports from local news outlets. The job cuts are set to take effect in 60 days and will affect nurses at clinics in San Rafael and ...
Blue Shield of California is conducting a second round of layoffs this year, with 138 more employees being laid off in September. The majority of the layoffs affect employees in Oakland and El Dorado, with the remaining cuts taking place in Long Beach, Woodland Hills, Rancho Cordova, San Diego, Lodi and Redding, according to regulatory ...