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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.

San Francisco To Reopen Mass Coronavirus Testing Site Amid Delta Surge

San Francisco will reopen a mass coronavirus testing site in SoMa on Wednesday amid a troubling rise in cases — mostly among the unvaccinated — and a surge in demand for tests. The site at Seventh and Brannan streets will be able to administer 500 tests per day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven ...

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Newsom Slow-Rolls Single-Payer Health Care Promise

California Gov. Gavin Newsom once backed single-payer medical coverage, but he’s retreated into incremental addition of Californians to the state’s Medi-Cal program.

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COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rise Sharply Across Southern California As Surge Continues

COVID-19 hospitalizations have essentially doubled across much of California over the last two weeks — a troubling trend officials say illustrates the pandemic’s continued potency amid an ongoing surge in infections.

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Providence-KP Team Up to Attract Patients in California’s Growing High Desert Region

A plan by Providence and Kaiser Permanente to build a new medical center in the High Desert region of California is the latest example of leading hospital chains seeking market advantage.

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California To Offer Vaccine Incentive To Medicaid Population

California announced another round of coronavirus vaccine incentives on Friday, offering up to $50 apiece to more than 11 million people in the state who get their health insurance through Medicaid. The money is part of a new $350 million plan to get more of the state’s Medicaid population vaccinated as the state is seeing ...

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In California, a Mix of Support and Resistance to New Vaccine Rules

Some of California’s staunchest vaccine resisters are state employees and health care workers, all of whom will be required to get vaccinated or undergo testing starting next month.

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U.S. Passes 35 Million COVID Cases As California Tops 4 Million

The number of U.S. Covid-19 cases has surpassed 35 million as California became the first state to pass 4 million, according to an NBC News tally late Sunday. Almost 616,800 people have died from the disease in the U.S., according to the calculations. With schoolchildren returning to classrooms soon, many of them too young to ...

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Bay Area Counties Mandate Indoor Masks, Joining L.A. As Delta Variant Rages

In another sign the Delta variant is upending California’s attempts to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind it, officials in a large swath of the Bay Area announced Monday that residents will again need to wear masks in indoor public settings regardless of vaccination status. The move comes several weeks after Los Angeles County became one ...

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California Government, Health Workers Must Show Proof Of Vaccination Or Be Tested Regularly

California state and healthcare employees will soon be required to show proof they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19, with those who remain uninoculated subject to a regular testing regimen, as part of growing national effort to use such screenings in hopes of slowing a new coronavirus surge.

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California Public Mask Mandate Support Rises As COVID Cases Make Biggest One-Day Jump In 5 Months

Asked earlier this week if there is a Covid-19 data point that would push the state to reimplement restrictions, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said, “We’re not looking at physical distancing or closing anything down.” The recall-challenged governor then insisted, “The answer to the Delta variant is vaccination…We don’t need masking. Just get vaccinated.” Newsom’s state on Friday reported a 2,000-case jump in its daily ...

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