Covered California Closing in on One Million
With more than two weeks left in open enrollment, Covered California has exceeded its rosiest estimates and is closing in on one million insurance policies — far surpassing estimates made six months ago.
Hearing Looks at High Cost of Medicine
Now that millions of Californians have been added to the insurance rolls through Covered California and the Medi-Cal expansion, one California legislator said the next step should be reducing overall medical care costs.
How Should California Regulate Growing, Changing Assisted-Living Industry?
We asked stakeholders and experts how legislators and policymakers should reform state regulations to improve oversight of the growing and changing assisted-living industry.
Ignore the Hype: Health Care’s ‘Cost Disease’ Hasn’t Been Cured.
Health care’s cost curve is finally bending, and no story may be more important. But the gains could be short-lived — the industry’s long-term “cost disease” is only in remission, says one of the nation’s most prominent economists.
Accelerated Medical School Proposal Could Yield More Physicians, Less Debt
A new Assembly bill proposes a three-year curriculum at California medical schools — a shorter track that could help students by lowering loan debt and help the state by producing physicians faster.
Continuity of Care Bill Goes to Governor
A bill aimed at making sure patients can complete a course of treatment despite changes in insurance coverage sailed through the Legislature and is now waiting for the governor’s signature.
Riverside County First Responders Frustrated by Ambulance Delays
Almost half the state’s emergency medical service agencies — which serve 70% of the state’s population — have reported problems with ambulance wait times. Three counties in the Inland Empire — Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern — are grappling with the problem.
Legislative Analyst Pushes for Better Oversight of Health Care Services
As state lawmakers evaluate the possibility of reversing a 10% Medi-Cal provider cut, an official from the Legislative Analyst’s Office said he is concerned by a lack of legislative oversight and accountability over state health policy.
California Rep. Bera Co-Sponsors Bill To Curb Medical Malpractice Risk, Save Money
A new national legislative proposal is designed to use evidence-based medicine to improve patient health, save money and reduce risk of medical malpractice lawsuits.
Ruling in Physician Whistle-Blower Case Could Have Far-Reaching Consequences
The California Supreme Court’s ruling upholding a physician’s right to file a whistle-blower lawsuit before exhausting the peer-review process could alter hospital-physician relationships in California, according to some observers.