Morning Breakouts

Latest California Healthline Stories

UC Davis-Health Net Agreement Will Cover As Many As 5,000 Medi-Cal Enrollees

UnitedHealthcare had covered the university teaching hospital’s Medi-Cal enrollees but it announced it was pulling out at the end of October, a move that was expected to force about 1,000 UCD patients to find new primary care doctors.

Focus On ACA Or Go All In For ‘Medicare For All’? Democrats Divided Over Path To Take On Health Care

For the first election in years, Democrats see health care as a winning issue — one to go on the offense over instead of defending their votes. But they party’s candidates lack coherency in their approach. Some push a “Medicare for All” plan while others think shoring up the health law should take priority. Meanwhile The Washington Post Fact Checker looks at ads targeting Democrats over “Medicare for All.”

Senate Sends Sweeping Opioid Package To Trump To Sign; Advocates Laud Legislation’s Focus On Treatment

It was a rare bipartisan feat that brought the massive opioids package together that also gives both sides a win right before the contentious midterm elections. Included in the bills is a crackdown on the flow of synthetic opioids from other countries, expanded treatment options, and provisions promoting research to finding alternative pain treatments.

This App Says It Can Detect Mental Health Problems By A Person’s Phone Usage. But Does It Live Up To Its Promise?

Almost no one outside the company has any idea whether it works, and most of the company’s key promises or claims aren’t yet backed up by published, peer-reviewed data. In other health and technology related news, Facebook’s kid-centric app draws fire.

Sacramento-Based Federal Task Force Targets Drug Sales In Dark Corners Of Internet

Cracking down on illegal drugs being shipped through the mail has become a larger nationwide priority in the effort to curb the opioid crisis. “The criminals have moved to a new place, and we want to make it very clear that we’re coming,” U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott said.