Even without a history-making health care remake to deliver “Medicare-for-all,” government at all levels will be paying nearly half the nation’s health care tab in less than 10 years, according to a federal report released Wednesday.

Earlier this week, Democrats introduced a bill that would allow people ages 50 and over to buy in to Medicare coverage, and the plan is already getting pushback from payers and providers.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s done waiting for the federal government to curtail the rising cost of prescription drugs. Newsom has his own plan to ease that financial burden — one he hopes other states can join or replicate.

A Louisiana-based federal court of appeals on Thursday agreed to let House Democrats join a fight to save the Affordable Care Act, but refused to expedite an appeal.

Democrats and the Trump administration are beginning to hold talks on lowering drug prices as they look for a rare area of common ground.

There was an itchiness to the relationship between Gavin Newsom, who spent eight years as an understudy, and former Gov. Jerry Brown. Much of it was institutional: California’s lieutenant governor and chief executive don’t run on a joint ticket and once elected, the second in command has almost no official duties. The structure allows even a middling leader to cast an imposing shadow.