More than 1.5 million people in California have purchased health insurance through a taxpayer-funded marketplace, state officials announced Tuesday, the first increase in enrollment after three years of decline.

Per capita health spending for the 160 million Americans in employer-sponsored health plans grew by 4.4% in 2018, the third consecutive year of increases above 4%, according to the latest annual spending report by the Health Care Cost Institute.

On Jan. 27, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's new commission exploring the viability of bringing government-run, single-payer health care to the Golden State met for the first time.

Felix Koltsov and Bradley Dean Groscost were charged with multiple felony counts of insurance fraud, money laundering and unlawful referrals for allegedly conspiring to bill insurers in excess of $20 million as part of a kickback referral scheme.

The patients underwent elective surgery with primary surgeons and in facilities that were in their private insurer’s network. Yet, one in five got a surprise bill after their procedure for out-of-network services, according to a new study.

The House of Representatives is in the middle of trying to decide which three pieces of legislation to endorse that will end surprise medical bills.