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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.

Gavin Newsom Says California Has ‘Universal Access To Health Coverage’

Is California Gov. Gavin Newsom exaggerating when he says Golden State residents now will have “universal access to health coverage” as a result of a budget deal that will open Medi-Cal to 700,000 undocumented immigrants ages 26 to 49?

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Dial 988: State’s New Mental Health Crisis Hotline Debuts

Starting Saturday, people experiencing mental health crises need to remember just three numbers to dial for help: 988. The new federal number — debuting in California and across the country this weekend — is billed as an alternative to 911 for people experiencing mental health emergencies. Here, advocates say the shortcut will make it simpler ...

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California Will Make Its Own Insulin To Fight Drug’s High Prices, Newsom Says

California will start making its own affordable insulin as part of an effort to combat high drug prices for a lifesaving medication that has been made inaccessible for some Americans living with diabetes, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Thursday.

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COVID In California: First Case Of BA.2.75 Subvariant Detected In The State

The spring coronavirus swell that’s turning into the summer coronavirus surge is starting to result in more hospital admissions, although the amount of serious illness is still far less than before widespread vaccination.

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Coronavirus In California Is Becoming Easier To Get, Much Harder To Avoid. Here’s Why

The number of coronavirus cases reported in California is on the brink of crossing 10 million, a milestone that probably undercounts the total significantly yet still carries an increasing sense of inevitability.

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Adopted California Budget Includes Targeted Tax Benefits, One-Time Increases

This week the Legislature passed, and the Governor signed a $300 billion state budget that includes a number of targeted tax benefits for businesses, plus one-time increases in other areas.

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Do California Laws Generally Apply Only Within Borders Of State?

Unless a state specifically states in its laws that it intends to apply those laws across state borders, then the law applies only to individuals within the state.

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What Supreme Court Ruling On Arbitration And PAGA Means For Employers

This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court has made a number of high-profile decisions across many complex policy issues. Nestled among these high-profile decisions is yet another case that affects California law.

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California Will Require Health Facilities To Start Sharing Patient Data With Each Other

Hospitals, public health agencies and other providers have no systematic way to share patient data among themselves, limiting their ability to monitor trends and work efficiently. Under the state’s new data-sharing requirement, a doctor or case worker could get immediate access to a patient’s full medical history, and patients could view their own records easily.

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John Word And Jessica Word Honored At 2022 NAHU Convention

John Word was recognized Monday night as one of two health insurance industry “persons of the year” and recipient of the 2022 Harold R. Gordon Memorial Award. John was selected by a committee of past NAHU award recipients who carefully review nominees from across the country nominated for their contributions to the industry.

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