The debate over new taxes and fees - a dominant theme in the final weeks of the legislative session - kicked off Monday, with some Democratic lawmakers calling for a new tax on health insurance plans to pay for Medi-Cal and other social services.

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For years, Republicans have openly pined for pushing Medicare further into the private sector.

This week, President Obama signed into law a bill (HR 2514) by a California lawmaker that seeks to help veterans save money to cover health care expenses, the Lake County Record-Bee reports.

Some consumers who got health coverage or subsidies through HealthCare.gov might not have been eligible to receive them last year because of deficiencies in the federal exchange’s internal controls, according to a government report likely to further stoke Republican criticism.

Latinos covered by Medi-Cal have more trouble accessing care than other beneficiaries, according to a study by the California HealthCare Foundation, AP/Modern Healthcare reports. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program.