Latest California Healthline Stories
Federal Officials Take Non-Stance on Rate Regulation
This year, few bills have stirred as much vitriolic rhetoric as the proposed health insurance rate regulation law, AB 52 by Assembly members Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael).
Now the statewide spat threatens to draw in federal officials, and they’re having none of it.
It all revolves around a recent report from HHS, which concluded that California’s current health insurance rate review is “effective.”
Will ‘Most Important Study in Decades’ Matter for Reform?
Although Medicaid is set to be the backbone of the Affordable Care Act’s health coverage expansion, the program is beset by criticism from conservatives. Health policy experts hope that a once-in-a-generation study will strengthen the case for preserving the program.
Foundations Provide Helping Hand as States Take Steps To Implement Health Reform Law
Richard Figueroa of the California Endowment, Heather Howard of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, David Maxwell-Jolly of the California Health and Human Services Agency and Marian Mulkey of the California HealthCare Foundation spoke with California Healthline about how foundations are contributing to state health reform activities.
Lofty Expansion Plan for Children’s Health Initiative
They’ve added a “C.” But that’s not the only change.
The successful not-for-profit Children’s Health Initiative (CHI) has changed its name and has now become California Coverage & Health Initiatives. The shift is an ambitious one.
“Originally the CHIs were local efforts to reach universal coverage for kids in a county or group of counties,” CCHI executive director Suzie Shupe said. “And we do have a pretty good track record of helping families access care, and keep them retained.”
Food Fight Over Vending Machines
The intent is simple, according to AB 727 author Assembly member Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles).
“We would like the food sold in vending machines and cafeterias in state buildings to meet minimum nutritional and sustainability standards,” Mitchell said. “AB 727 will promote a healthier workforce by making healthy food options more acceptable and affordable.”
The Assembly Committee on Health last week approved AB 727, but only after a long, protracted and surprisingly emotional hearing.
How Can California Solve Family Physician Shortage?
California — like many parts of the country — is facing a shortage of family physicians on the eve of a significant expansion of the health care system. We asked experts and stakeholders what California policymakers can do to encourage a healthy supply of care providers.
Assembly Committee Approves Basic Health Bill
This week, the Assembly Committee on Health approved a bill to establish low-cost health coverage for as many as 800,000 low-income Californians. For a program that could pull a substantial number of expected participants out of the California Health Benefit Exchange, there has been surprisingly little resistance to it.
That’s because the state stands to save money with the new Basic Health Program, according to SB 703 author Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina).
“With this program, the state can supply more affordable coverage [for low-income beneficiaries] without a dime from the state general fund,” Hernandez said. “And it would reimburse providers at much higher rates than Medi-Cal would pay — about 20% to 25% higher reimbursement rates.”
Caveats, Proposed Amendments Clear Way for Rate Regulation Bill
The bill to regulate health insurers’ rate hikes cleared a key hurdle yesterday, as the Senate Committee on Health voted 5-3, with one abstention, to approve AB 52 by Assembly member Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles).
Passage came with many caveats and even more proposed amendments. Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), the committee chair and the swing vote on the bill, suggested a raft of changes to the bill before it could garner his support.
“Primarily it’s important to depoliticize the decision process [around rate assessments],” Hernandez said. “It’s also very important to insert additional transparency in the process.”
Tale of Two Exchanges Shifting Gears in California
In keeping with its traditional role as the front-runner in health care trends, California surged ahead with plans for two health exchanges — one for insurance and one for information. In some ways, the state now is shifting from sprint mode to a long-distance strategy.
Tying Up the Last Loose End of the Budget
The state Department of Health Care Services has completed its first set of evaluations in the ongoing process to eliminate the adult day health care program in California, according to a state official. Now it will begin the effort to move the 35,000 ADHC participants to other state programs.
Meanwhile, the central topic of conversation among some legislators this week will be the governor’s veto of a budget provision that tied appropriated funding to a new version of the ADHC program.
The negotiation for some kind of new ADHC program “is not over,” Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) said. “That is yet to be determined.”