Latest California Healthline Stories
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ New Year, New Health Proposals
Democratic governors and mayors are unveiling new ideas to control costs and expand coverage. The federal government shutdown has spared most health agencies, but not all. And learn the latest on that lawsuit out of Texas, which is threatening the Affordable Care Act once again. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week. Rovner also interviews KHN’s Jordan Rau about the latest “Bill of the Month.”
As Billions In Tax Dollars Flow To Private Medicaid Plans, Who’s Minding The Store?
Insurance companies profit from government contracts but are subject to little oversight of how they spend the money or care for patients. The expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act has only exacerbated the problem.
Feds Settle Huge Whistleblower Suit Over Medicare Advantage Fraud
A DaVita subsidiary will pay $270 million over allegations that it cheated the federal government for years.
Insulin’s Steep Price Leads To Deadly Rationing
Alec Raeshawn Smith was 23 when diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and 26 when he died. He couldn’t afford $1,300 per month for his insulin and other diabetes supplies. So he tried to stretch the doses.
Key California Lawmaker Calls Eli Lilly’s Behavior ‘Disingenuous And Offensive’
Sen. Ed Hernandez is in a public spat with the Indianapolis drugmaker over the company’s refusal to heed a state law requiring advance notice — and justification — of large drug price hikes. The company says it is awaiting a court decision on the law’s constitutionality.
Medicaid Expansion Making Diabetes Meds More Accessible To Poor, Study Shows
The number of diabetes drug prescriptions filled for low-income people enrolled in Medicaid rose sharply in states that expanded eligibility for the program under the Affordable Care Act, according to a new study.
Expansión de Medicaid facilita el acceso de los más pobres a drogas anti diabetes
El estudio revela que las recetas para drogas contra la diabetes aumentaron un 40% en los estados que expandieron Medicaid bajo ACA. También lo hicieron los diagnósticos.
Esperanza y cautela por una vacuna de bajo costo contra la diabetes tipo 1
La vacuna, conocida como BCG, se utiliza en varios países para prevenir la tuberculosis y durante mucho tiempo se ha sabido que también estimula el sistema inmunitario.
Retooled Vaccine Raises Hopes As A Lower-Cost Treatment For Type 1 Diabetes
The vaccine, BCG, is relatively cheap. But experts caution the therapy could be overhyped and, if proven effective, wind up overpriced.
Under Pressure, California Lawmakers Ban Soda Taxes For 12 Years
In a major coup for the beverage industry, California lawmakers agreed to ban cities and counties from adopting soda taxes for the next 12 years. In exchange, the beverage industry agreed to pull an initiative off the November ballot that, if passed, would have made it much harder for local governments to raise taxes.