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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.

New California Law Targets Unfair And Deceptive Commercial Debt Collection Practices

Legislation signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom on September 24, 2024 will subject commercial debt collectors to new compliance requirements starting in 2025.

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2024 Edition — California Health Insurers

California Health Insurers: 2024 Edition provides a snapshot of the insurance market in California at the end of 2022. Data from the state’s two insurance regulators, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and the California Department of Insurance (CDI), and other sources were used to examine market share, enrollment, financial performance, and consumer satisfaction. Key ...

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California Mental Health Agency Director To Resign Following Conflict of Interest Allegations

California’s mental health commission on Thursday announced its executive director would resign amid revelations that he traveled to the U.K. courtesy of a state vendor while he sought to prevent a budget cut that would have defunded the company’s contract. Toby Ewing, executive director of the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, will step down effective ...

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Upcoming Changes To Fully Insured Health Plans In California: What Employers Need To Know

The California legislative season drew to a close September 30th, with Governor Newsom signing several Senate and Assembly Bills that increase the benefits fully insured health plans in California must cover, focusing on maternal healthcare, preventive care, and AI protections.

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Legislative Session Wrap: California Chamber of Commerce Report

On September 30, Governor Gavin Newsom concluded review and action on more than 1,200 bills sent to his desk as part of the 2024 regular legislative session. This year represented many major legislative wins for the California Chamber of Commerce working on behalf of California employers.

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California Hospitals Scramble on Earthquake Retrofits as State Limits Extensions

More than half of the 410 hospitals in California have at least one building that likely wouldn’t be able to operate after a major earthquake hit their region, and with many institutions claiming they don’t have the money to meet a 2030 legal deadline for earthquake retrofits, the state is now granting relief to some ...

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California Insurer Experiments With Drug Giveaway, Bypassing Secret Fees

A major California health insurer is set to offer one of the world’s top-selling drugs for free in a bid to show the medicine can reach Americans affordably without going through the middlemen that typically control its flow.

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This California Ballot Measure Promises Money For Health Care. Its Critics Warn It Could Backfire

Among the blitz of election ads flooding TV, social media and street corners, you won’t see any opposition to a ballot measure proposing to lock in billions of dollars to pay doctors more for treating low-income patients. But opponents of Proposition 35 have a warning even if they don’t have the money to pay for ads: The measure could ...

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California Governor Signs Legislation Impacting Health Care Claim Reimbursement and DMHC Requests for Records

On September 27, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law two bills that will impact health care service plans and insurers in the state. AB 3275 – Health Care Coverage: Claim Reimbursement AB 3275 amends, repeals, and adds California Health and Safety Code §§ 1371, 1371.34, 1371.35, Insurance Code §§ 10123.13, 10123.147, and Welfare and ...

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California 2026 Governor Hopefuls Come Out Strong For Single-Payer Health Care

Four California governor hopefuls made big promises on single-payer health care but skimped on details Sunday during a candidate forum at a health workers’ union conference in San Francisco.

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