Leader of California’s Muscular Obamacare Exchange to Step Down
By Bernard J. Wolfson and Angela Hart
Peter Lee helped create Covered California, which has been lauded as a national example among the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces, and he fiercely opposed Republican efforts to repeal the federal health reform law.
KHN on the Air This Week
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Orange County Hospital Seeks Divorce From Large Catholic Health System
By Bernard J. Wolfson
Frustration with the standardization of care across 51 hospitals, loss of local control and restrictions on reproductive health care have pitted Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian against the Providence chain.
COVID Vaccines Appear Safe and Effective, but Key Questions Remain
By Bernard J. Wolfson
The federal government expects vaccinations to be available to everyone who wants them by summer — though glitches are inevitable. If enough of us get vaccinated, we could wave goodbye to the pandemic in 2021.
So You’re Vaccinated Against Covid. Now What?
By Bernard J. Wolfson
The vaccination rollout has been unsteady, but the vaccines seem very effective, raising hopes that the pandemic will subside by later this year if enough Americans get their shots. Meanwhile, remain cautious.
Kaiser Permanente, Big Player in State Vaccine Effort, Has Had Trouble Vaccinating Own Members
By Bernard J. Wolfson
Older patients in several states where the California-based managed care giant operates complain they’ve had difficulty scheduling appointments and spotty communication from the health system. Some report it’s getting better, though.
Aprendiendo a vivir de nuevo: cómo se recuperan pacientes graves de covid
By Bernard J. Wolfson
En Rancho Los Amigos, en Los Angeles, latinos de bajos ingresos reciben terapia y tratamientos después de que covid los pusiera al borde de la muerte.
Direct Primary Care, With a Touch of Robin Hood
By Bernard J. Wolfson
Photos by Heidi de Marco
Some doctors, sick of mainstream health care’s red tape, are finding refuge in practices that combine concierge medicine with charity care.
Head-Scratching Over Newsom’s Choice of Blue Shield to Lead Vaccination Push
By Bernard J. Wolfson
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s surprising choice of Blue Shield to lead the state’s covid vaccination effort raised questions about the role politics played in the decision — and whether the insurer is up to the task.
Vaccine Ramp-Up Squeezes Covid Testing and Tracing
By Bernard J. Wolfson
The ability of California health officials to multitask in a pandemic will be severely tested as they scramble to find staff for vaccination sites while maintaining testing and contact tracing.
