Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Law Cannot Stand Without The Individual Mandate Tax, Federal Judge Rules
In a closely watched case, Judge Reed O’Connor of the Federal District Court in Fort Worth, Texas ruled that without the penalty for not having health coverage, which Republicans zeroed out with their tax bill, the Affordable Care Act “can no longer be sustained as an exercise of Congress’s tax power.” And the rest of the law cannot be separated from that provision and is therefore invalid, he wrote. The judge’s ruling, practically speaking, won’t have an immediate impact on the way the health law operates. With enrollment closing on Saturday, the Trump administration said the court decision has “no impact to current coverage or coverage in a 2019 plan.”
The findings suggest that the total number of high school students using tobacco surged by 1.3 million between 2017 and 2018. In all that time, the researchers who conduct the survey have never seen a drug’s popularity explode the way vaping did in the past year.
Those 55 and older still represent the largest number of suicides among veterans. Experts say that one of the reasons may be because older men are more likely to reject treatment for mental health issues, which is another big risk factor.
Nonprofit Group Sharply Criticizes Forest Service’s Strategy To Fight California Wildfires
The report suggests the Forest Service response to the Soberanes Fire in 2016 was the result of a “use it or lose it” attitude to spend its entire budget, which had been boosted by $700 million because of a destructive 2015 fire season.
“What they say is, ‘It’s $3 grand a week now,’ ” said attorney Greg Johnson of the Camarillo nursing home. “‘What do you want to do?’ ”
The investigation found that 73 doctors around the country with active medical licenses had been the subject of Food and Drug Administration warning letters alleging serious problems over a five-year period, but only one had been disciplined.
Deadline To Get Covered California Insurance Starting Jan. 1 Extended A Week
“We have seen tens of thousands of people flood into Covered California over the past week, and we want to make sure everyone can start the new year off right by being covered,” said Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California. Open enrollment in Covered California runs through Jan. 15, 2019, but anyone signing up between Dec. 22 and Jan. 15 wouldn’t see their coverage start until Feb. 1.
Texas Judge Strikes Down Federal Health Law
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, ruling on a suit brought by opponents of the Affordable Care Act, says that the law was invalidated when Congress dropped the tax penalty for not having coverage. Advocates for the law say they will appeal the decision.
A selection of opinions on health care developments from around the state.
The death of the girl comes amid intensifying scrutiny over the quality of care immigrants are getting when they enter into U.S. custody.