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.
A day after issuing guidelines that restricted trick-or-treating and other Halloween traditions because of the coronavirus pandemic, Los Angeles County health officials walked back some of the rules on Wednesday.
California lawmakers convened this year with big plans to tackle soaring health care costs, expand health insurance coverage and improve treatment for mental health and addiction.
Helicopters rescued more people from wildfires Tuesday as flames chewed through bone-dry California after a scorching Labor Day weekend that saw a dramatic airlift of more than 200 people and ended with the state’s largest utility turning off power to 172,000 customers to try to prevent more blazes.
Oral arguments this week in front of an appeals court raise concerns that trucking’s challenge to California’s controversial AB5 independent contractor legislation could face an uphill battle.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) launched a new plan to more slowly reopen his state’s economy after an alarming spike in coronavirus cases across the Golden State over the summer.
California lawmakers on Monday wrapped up a legislative session largely defined by the pandemic as they approved new COVID-19 sick leave for food workers, added sweeping labor protections for laid-off hotel staff and made it easier for essential employees to file for workers’ compensation.
California is poised to become the first state to develop its own line of generic drugs, targeting soaring drug prices and stepping into a fiercely competitive drug market dominated by deep-pocketed pharmaceutical companies.
After years of failed attempts and vociferous opposition, California lawmakers on Monday adopted a measure to grant nurse practitioners the ability to practice without doctor supervision — but only after making big concessions to the powerful doctors’ lobby, which nonetheless remains opposed.
Insurers have come under scrutiny in the past for policies rejecting claims for visits to the emergency room that they deem unnecessary. The latest to find itself in hot water? Aetna, which has been fined $500,000
Covered California opened enrollment for those affected by the “triple threat” of fires, the pandemic, and the recession.