Latest California Healthline Stories
Long Waits To See Doctors In Puerto Rico, Where Medical Needs Are Great Post-Maria
Kaiser Health News senior correspondent Sarah Varney reports on how the island’s mounting physician shortage is making it even more difficult to get care.
Children With Disabilities Endure Long Waits For Life-Changing Medical Equipment
Some California children with serious health care problems wait more than a year for wheelchairs, bath benches, commodes, specialized crutches and other crucial medical equipment. Critics blame the delays on a confusing bureaucratic maze of private insurers and public programs.
Insurers Fall Short In Catching And Reporting Medicaid Fraud, Inspectors Find
Medicaid has struggled for years with poor oversight and billions lost to improper payments. A new report finds that despite their fraud-fighting rhetoric, Medicaid managed-care companies are not as rigorous as they should be in ensuring the integrity of the Medicaid payment system.
Doctors And Dentists Welcome Pay Hike For Treating Low-Income Patients
California is boosting rates for doctors and dentists who participate in the state’s Medi-Cal program for low-income residents. Providers say the pay raises will increase their participation in the program and improve access for patients.
After Setback, Proponents Of Universal Coverage In Calif. Look To Next Governor
Key measures in the legislature’s coverage-for-all strategy failed to make it into next year’s state budget. Pending legislation to accomplish the same goals are unlikely to pass muster with Gov. Jerry Brown.
As Medicaid Costs Soar, States Try A New Approach
New programs, known as ACOs, reward hospitals and physician groups that hold down costs by keeping enrollees healthy. The health care providers are asked to address social issues — such as homelessness, lack of transportation and poor nutrition — that can cause and exacerbate health problems.
‘A Persistent Puzzle’: Californians Embrace Medicaid — But Food Stamps? Not So Much.
The Golden State ranks near the bottom in its enrollment of eligible people in the food assistance program known as SNAP. Now state officials want to tap its robust Medicaid rolls to boost SNAP signups.
Calif. Leads Nation In Pushing Back Against Trump Administration Health Policies
In the face of federal efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, policymakers in the largest state are proposing laws and other changes to counter them. Beyond that, they’re aggressively pushing measures to expand health coverage beyond what the ACA envisioned.
Medicaid Is Rural America’s Financial Midwife
Medicaid payments allow struggling hospitals to maintain vital costly services such as maternity care.
Use Of HIV-Prevention Drug Grows, But Lags Among Non-Whites
The pill, known as PrEP, can reduce the risk of contracting the virus that causes AIDS by 90 percent. Its use has expanded sharply in recent years — but primarily among a white demographic.