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Industry Updates

This broad category includes articles concerning health insurance costs, carrier and health plan news, changing benefits technology, and surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation and others on employee benefits.

With Vaccine Mandates Looming, Companies Are Worried About Worker Shortages

The coming federal vaccine mandate could result in a wave of firings of employees who are reluctant to get the life-saving shots. That has many companies nervous that those jobs will be difficult to fill in a labor market where willing hands are increasingly hard to come by.

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California Will Crack Down On Surprise Coronavirus Testing Fees Under New Law

Health insurers must cover the cost of coronavirus tests under a bill signed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom that ensures Californians do not have to pay out-of-pocket fees or contend with prior authorization requirements, which have left some consumers with surprise medical bills and bureaucratic headaches. Federal and state laws were passed during the pandemic ...

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Vaccine Mandates Are Working In California. Here’s What The Numbers Show

California in August gave the state’s health care workers an ultimatum: Get vaccinated by Sept. 30 or submit to twice-weekly COVID-19 testing. So far, it appears to be working. Three major Sacramento-area health care systems say vaccination rates among employees are now higher than the general population. “It’s more than good, it’s very good,” said Dr. ...

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Federal Judge Requires Vaccines For California Prison Staff

A federal judge on Monday ordered that all employees entering California prisons be vaccinated or have a religious or medical exemption, as he tries to head off another coronavirus outbreak like the one that killed 28 inmates and a correctional officer at San Quentin State Prison last year. Inmates who want in-person visits or who ...

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Healthcare Headache: CCSD Teachers To Rally At School Board Meeting, Following Frustrations With Health Insurance

Teachers are furious and frustrated with their health insurance for not paying up. Teachers Health Trust (THT Health) covers around 18,000 teachers and their dependents

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Peter Lee To Resign From Covered California

Peter Lee, who has steered California’s Affordable Care Act marketplace since late 2011 and helped mold it into a model of what the federal health care law could achieve, announced Thursday he will leave his post in March.

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CalChamber Board Names Barrera Next President/CEO

The California Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has appointed Jennifer Barrera as the organization’s next president and CEO, effective October 1, 2021.

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California Recall Election Day: Will Voters Kick Gov. Gavin Newsom Out Of Office?

Californians are heading to the polls Tuesday to decide whether or not to remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, or at least voters who haven’t already cast a ballot by mail.

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Health Care Unions Defending Newsom From Recall Will Want Single-Payer Payback

Should Gavin Newsom survive the Republican-driven attempt to oust him from office, the Democratic governor will face the prospect of paying back supporters who coalesced behind him.

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Premiums Not Expected To Change Significantly For 2022, But Keep An Eye On Pandemic Costs

Premiums for health insurance for individuals and small group markets are not expected to see large adjustments from carriers in 2022, a new report has found. Regional differences in health care delivery might result in some variation of premiums, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said. The new report, released by the ...

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