Industry Updates Category Banner

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.

COVID-19’s Potential Double-Digit Hike on 2021 Premiums

According to a new report by Covered California, California’s marketplace, 2021 premium increases to individuals and employers from COVID-19 alone could range from 4 percent to more than 40 percent, if carriers must recoup 2020 costs and protect solvency. COVID-19 has been an unprecedented situation with one-year projected costs in the national commercial market ranging ...

Read More

Gavin Newsom Planned A $222 Billion State Budget. It’ll Be ‘Radically Changed’ By Coronavirus

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he is going back to the drawing board for his budget proposal, abandoning the $222 billion plan he laid out in January as the coronavirus pandemic hammers the state’s economy.

Read More

Insurance Commissioner Lara Issues Alert About Immigrant Workers’ Eligibility for Workers’ Compensation Benefits for COVID-19 Exposure or Illness

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today alerted insurance companies that all workers affected by COVID-19 on the job are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits regardless of their immigration status. This includes workers engaged in front-line occupations such as health care, emergency services, food production, sales, and delivery, among others.

Read More

As San Francisco Imposed Coronavirus Shelter-In-Place Rules, Los Angeles Waited

The coronavirus is surging in Los Angeles as the county emerges as the new epicenter of the virus in California — whereas in San Francisco, numbers are slowing, a payoff that officials say is because of the Bay Area’s fast action to impose aggressive restrictions on residents.

Read More

Newsom Signs Small Business Order

Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that will provide some relief for small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 crisis.

Read More

California Ramps Up Output of Ventilators as COVID-19 Cases Grow

Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed confidence Saturday that California has the capacity to produce enough ventilators to meet its projected needs in response to the coronavirus pandemic. But during a tour of a San Jose energy company that is refurbishing outdated ones, he cautioned that the state’s need could expand significantly if the public doesn’t maintain social distancing and the crisis worsens.

Read More

Los Angeles Will Mirror New York as Coronavirus Surges, Newsom and Garcetti Warn

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued dire warnings Friday that the nation’s second-largest city is headed for the same surge in COVID-19 cases as New York City after a 26% increase in California deaths overnight.

Read More

If the Supreme Court Repeals the Affordable Care Act, California Will Feel Substantial Impact

When Venice Family Clinic opened its doors 50 years ago, two volunteer physicians provided free medical care after hours in a dental clinic. They served about a dozen patients that first day. Today, our 370 health care professionals and nearly 1,400 volunteers provide comprehensive care to nearly 28,000 men, women and children annually at 12 ...

Read More

California Lawmakers Approve $1.1 Billion Package

California lawmakers set aside up to $1.1 billion Monday for health care needs, homelessness services and school cleaning to help the state deal with crushing costs being brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

Read More

California’s New State-Run Retirement Program Survives Taxpayer Group’s Challenge

A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a California conservative tax group’s effort to block the implementation of a state-run financial savings program that was created to help lower-income workers save for retirement.

Read More
arrowcaret-downclosefacebook-squarehamburgerinstagram-squarelinkedin-squarepauseplaytwitter-squareyoutube-square