Latest California Healthline Stories
Wider Access to Health Care Worth Higher Taxes, Poll Finds
Half of U.S. residents said they would pay as much as $500 more in taxes annually to help provide access to health insurance to more people, reflecting the emergence of health care access as the nation’s main domestic priority. Differences remain about whether a government plan would be more effective than the private health insurance system. New York Times et al.
Contra Costa County Retiree Health Costs Among State’s Highest
The county’s $2.6 billion in health liabilities is the equivalent of five of the state’s largest counties combined. Supervisors are weighing proposals to freeze contributions, cut benefits or shift some retirees to Medicare coverage. Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle.
People Turn To Unregulated Market for Home Care
High costs of home health care agencies are driving some families to rely on unlicensed workers to provide long-term care services. New York Times.
Kuehl Says Single-Payer Bill Independent of Federal Funds
Gov. Schwarzenegger spent this week in Washington, D.C., lobbying for support of his plan to overhaul health care in California, while Sen. Sheila Kuehl reintroduced her single-payer bill, saying that her proposal for California would not require any state or federal aid. Here’s the snag: Kuehl’s legislation does not include a funding mechanism thus far. Capitol Weekly, Sacramento Bee.