Latest California Healthline Stories
It’s More Than an Emergency: Calif. Among States Seeking To Expand EMS Care
A trend of expanding Emergency Medical Services workers’ responsibilities is catching on across the U.S., as state officials look for ways to supplement Obamacare with smaller scale efforts to close care gaps and reduce spending. California is hoping to launch several of these programs by next summer, though there are barriers to entry.
A Dozen Hospitals Are Laying Off Staff and Blaming Obamacare. Don’t Believe Them.
Hospital leaders from coast to coast are blaming the health reform law for recent decisions to pare their payrolls. And while the Affordable Care Act is creating new pressure for providers — from tighter reimbursement to new penalties on poor performance — the full story is much more complex.
The Exchanges Won’t Be ‘Ready’ in Time. And it (Probably) Won’t Matter.
Less than a month remains before the health insurance exchanges are supposed to be up and running — and while Covered California is in strong shape, officials in many other states are scrambling. But even if the marketplaces don’t launch on time, it might not mean much in the long run.
Health Reform Polls Are Inconsistent and Confusing. Should We Still Pay Attention?
Numerous polls tracking the Affordable Care Act have produced seemingly incongruous and often confusing results. But polling experts say that there is wisdom in the data, even if the results have stayed much the same since the law was enacted.
The Many Ways To Sell Obamacare
Eva Longoria, Jay-Z and Beyoncé might not seem like logical Affordable Care Act spokespeople. But the White House hopes to tap such celebrities and professional athletes to promote the law.
One Year Later: What’s Changed Since the Obamacare Verdict
NFIB v. Sebelius was a court case years in the making. Now, one year after the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the Affordable Care Act, “Road to Reform” rounds up how health care has, and hasn’t, changed since the landmark decision.
Physicians Wary — or Simply Unaware — of ACA Loophole
A little-known Affordable Care Act provision could stick physicians with patients’ treatment bills. Experts warn that doctors could avoid state health insurance exchanges as a result, but perhaps even more troublesome is the number of doctors who are unaware of the loophole.
Obamacare Will Bring Changes — and Walgreens Wants ‘To Fill the Void’
After more than five years of ramping up health services, Walgreens last month took another major step and launched three accountable care organizations. The chain’s executives say that it’s poised to fill gaps in health care, especially with rising demand brought on by the Affordable Care Act.
Inside Three ACOs: Why California Providers are Opting for the Model
Nine organizations named among the latest round of participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program will serve patients in the Golden State. Administrators of several new ACOs explain why they joined the program.
‘No Debate,’ Cleveland Clinic’s Great. But How To Replicate?
At last week’s debate, both President Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney agreed on one point: The Cleveland Clinic is a model for U.S. health care. But the men had different visions for how to realize similar reforms.