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Latest California Healthline Stories

Chronically Ill, Traumatically Billed: The $123,000 Medicine For MS

Shereese Hickson’s doctor wanted her to try the infusion drug Ocrevus for her multiple sclerosis. Even though Hickson is trained as a medical billing coder, she was shocked to see two doses of the drug priced at $123,019, with her share set at $3,620.

After Terribly Deadly Flu Season, California Aims To Track Deaths More Closely

During the previous flu season, 329 Californians under 65 died from flu-related complications, but state officials acknowledge that is just a fraction of the actual death toll. Why? The state’s public health department hasn’t counted deaths in the vulnerable, 65-and-over age group. That’s changing.

Smoke-Filled Snapshot: California Wildfire Generates Dangerous Air Quality For Millions

Smoke from the deadly and destructive Camp Fire has caused air quality readings to spike into “hazardous” and “unhealthy” levels for millions of people far outside of the burn zones. Is smoky air the new normal for California?

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health Nerd Books For The Holidays

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News discuss the latest on open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act and Medicare; new moves by the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco and nicotine products; and whether House Democrats will pursue a “Medicare-for-all” bill in the next Congress. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy books for your holiday reading and gifting pleasure.