Little Hoover Commission Issues Report on State’s Mental Health Services
California health officials need to focus on better monitoring and counties need to have standards to measure performance of the Mental Health Services Act, according to a new report from the Little Hoover Commission.
Governor Appoints New DHCS Director
The largest health care agency in the state has a new director. Jennifer Kent, former executive director of a public health plan organization, will take over at the Department of Health Care Services.
Health Issues High on Budget Panel List
Health care issues came up repeatedly when the Senate budget committee discussed the governor’s proposed spending plan last week.
Judge Rules on Medi-Cal Backlog Suit, Orders State To Adhere to 45-Day Deadline
Four months after health care advocates sued the state over delays in processing Medi-Cal applications, a judge decided in the advocates’ favor.
‘Much Has Changed’ Since Legislature Last Considered an End-of-Life Bill
During the introduction of end-of-life legislation in Sacramento, advocates and lawmakers made sure to address the bill’s expected opposition.
Home Care Overtime Decision Leaves $200 Million Question Mark in State Budget
California officials abandoned the plan to pay overtime to home health care workers because of a court ruling — but what happens to the money slated for it in the state budget plan?
Budget Proposal ‘A Good Starting Point’
The chair of the Assembly budget committee called Gov. Brown’s proposed budget a good starting point but “by no means the end of the conversation” in the Legislature’s first budget hearing of the year.
More Latinos Signing Up for Insurance
Covered California enrollment is on track to meet a goal of 1.7 million sign-ups with a much larger percentage of Latino and African American enrollees than last year, exchange officials said.
Draft Plan Emerges To Reduce Disparities in Mental Health Care
After four years of planning, the state’s Department of Public Health has released its strategic plan to address mental health care disparities experienced by Californians of various races, ethnicities and sexual orientations.
Budget Health Care Bartering Brewing
Gov. Brown proposed no major cuts to health care in this year’s budget, but there’s not much in the way of program restoration either, setting the stage for bargaining in Sacramento.