Ana B. Ibarra

Ana B. Ibarra was a reporter for KFF Health News until February 2020.

@ab_ibarra

Lawmakers Push To Stop Surprise ER Billing

Millions of Californians are vulnerable to hefty surprise medical bills from their trips to the emergency room. Now, state lawmakers are considering a measure to cap how much out-of-network hospitals can charge privately insured patients for emergency care, which could serve as a model for other states.

State Bans Pesticide Linked To Developmental Problems

California officials announced a ban on chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide that has been linked to lower IQs, lower birth weights and other developmental issues in children, even as the federal government fights to protect it.

Finding Homeless Patients A Place To Heal

California hospitals must comply with a new state law that requires them to try to find a safe place for homeless patients upon discharge. But hospitals say doing so isn’t as easy as calling a shelter and securing a cot.

Crowd At Capitol Demands Immigrant Health Coverage

Immigrants rallied at the state Capitol on Wednesday, calling for lawmakers to support a proposal to expand full Medicaid benefits to adult immigrants who are in the country illegally. Opponents cited potentially exorbitant costs.

Detention Centers In California Lack Oversight And Proper Care, Reports Find

Health and safety problems at immigration detention facilities throughout California pose a serious risk to detainees, according to two reports released Tuesday. State Attorney General Xavier Becerra and California State Auditor Elaine Howle concluded that federal and local governments are failing to adequately oversee the facilities, allowing the problems to persist.