Latest California Healthline Stories
UCLA Study: Even With Coverage, Undocumented Use Fewer Services
A new study showing undocumented Californians use fewer health care services than U.S. citizens could make a proposed California bill to cover those left out of the Affordable Care Act more palatable.
Plan To Switch Eligibility IT Systems OK’d
The Senate health committee approved a proposal to change the information technology system the state uses to enroll Medi-Cal beneficiaries, a change that could have far-reaching impacts.
Senate Bill To Alter Exchange Board Gets Altered, Passes Committee
A bill to increase cultural competency among Covered California board members moved out of committee one week after it appeared to be defeated.
Panel OKs Bill To Cover Undocumented
A plan to provide health coverage for undocumented Californians took a big step forward yesterday with approval from the Senate health committee. A major question — how to pay for it — remains unanswered.
Committee OKs Pricing Transparency Bill
The Assembly health committee yesterday approved a bill to establish an all-payer claims database in California, a move toward what one expert called the ‘missing piece’ of health care reform — pricing transparency.
Cost Containment Bill Goes Down
A Senate proposal to limit in-office physician referrals failed in committee yesterday. The bill was aimed at cost containment, according to its author, Sen. Ed Hernandez.
Emotions Run High Over Senate Bill To Restructure Exchange Board
A Senate committee came close last week to rejecting a bill to expand the size of the Covered California board of directors even though the measure didn’t have official opposition.
Bills To Raise Medi-Cal Provider Rates Unanimously Pass First Hurdle
A bill to increase Medi-Cal primary care provider rates to Medicare reimbursement levels was unanimously approved by the Assembly Health Committee this week. A companion bill reversing cuts in Medi-Cal payments also passed unanimously.
How a Legal Decision in Florida Might Affect California’s Autism Therapy Policy
A debate about autism treatment policy in a California Senate hearing today could be influenced by a court ruling in Florida.
Assembly Health Committee Votes for More Primary Care Residency Slots
One response to the problem of too few primary care physicians in California is to increase the number of residency slots in underserved areas, according to a bill approved unanimously by the Assembly Committee on Health yesterday.