Misinformation Clouds America’s Most Popular Emergency Contraception
By Sarah Varney
At a moment when half of U.S. states stand poised to outlaw or sharply curtail abortion services, the nation’s most popular emergency contraception brand rests in the unlikely stewardship of two private equity firms.
With Becerra as HHS Pick, California Plots More Progressive Health Care Agenda
By Angela Hart and Samantha Young
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has already begun discussing California health care priorities with Xavier Becerra, tapped this week by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as his Health and Human Services secretary.
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.
California GOP Consultant Rues ‘Big Mistake’ That Led to Family’s COVID Infections
By Samantha Young
Richard Costigan, a well-respected fixture in state Capitol circles, has detailed his family’s ongoing experiences with COVID-19 on social media after catching the virus — he surmises — at a backyard gathering. The former Schwarzenegger aide wants people to know this virus doesn’t care who you are.
Medi-Cal Agency’s New Head Wants to Tackle Disparities and Racism
By Samantha Young
Will Lightbourne, the new director of the California Department of Health Care Services, says government must address the racial disparities laid bare by COVID-19 and improve care for the state’s most vulnerable residents.
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.
Did CDC Delays in Up-To-Date Masking Advice Cost Health Workers’ Lives?
By Christina Jewett
Researchers say “very low”-quality research from the 2003 SARS outbreak drove guidelines on who got the best PPE, leaving those most at risk exposed.
Amid Surge, Hospitals Hesitate To Cancel Nonemergency Surgeries
By Samantha Young
Unlike earlier in the year, most hospitals are not proactively canceling elective surgeries, even in some places seeing spikes in coronavirus patients.
California Lawmakers Block Health Care Cuts
By Samantha Young
State legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom have hammered out an agreement on a budget that rejects Newsom’s proposed cuts to health care services for older and low-income people.
New Laws Keep Pandemic-Weary California at Forefront of Health Policy Innovation
By Samantha Young and Angela Hart
Gov. Gavin Newsom approved many consequential health care bills by his bill-signing deadline Wednesday, including a ban on the sale of menthol and other flavored tobacco products, the creation of a state generic drug label and better coverage for mental health disorders.
