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Latest California Healthline Stories

No-Go On Drunken Driving: States Deploy Breathalyzers In Cars To Limit Road Deaths

On New Year’s Day, California joins the majority of U.S. states that require people convicted of drunken driving to install ignition-linked breathalyzers in their vehicles. If the devices detect alcohol above a predetermined level, the cars don’t start.

‘Don’t Wash That Bird!’ And Other (Often Unheeded) Food Safety Advice

Washing poultry or meat before cooking it can do more harm than good — spreading pathogens that can be killed only in the cooking process. But the practice persists. Here’s what you need to know this holiday season.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ More On That Texas Lawsuit, And The Best And Worst Health Policy Stories Of The Year

The fallout continues from that Texas court decision that ruled Congress’ 2017 elimination of the tax penalty for failing to have insurance rendered the entire Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. Meanwhile, enrollment for 2019 at healthcare.gov was down, but far less than many predicted. KHN’s Julie Rovner, along with panelists Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner, discuss this, plus the best, most overhyped and nerdiest stories of 2018. Also, Rovner interviews GOP strategist and pollster Frank Luntz.

When Needs Arise, These Older Women Have One Another’s Backs

Many women aging alone want to hold on to their independence. But, when illness or disability strikes, they often need assistance. A program in New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco offers numerous ways to help.

5 Ways Nixing The Affordable Care Act Could Upend The Entire Health System

There could be a long legal struggle ahead over the decision by a judge in Texas to invalidate the federal health law. But if his decision stands, it would have long-lasting effects on health care from insurance coverage to Medicare payments to privacy protections.

Coverage Denied: Medicaid Patients Suffer As Layers Of Private Companies Profit

Managed-care plans, which reap billions in taxpayer dollars to coordinate care for low-income Americans on Medicaid, outsource crucial treatment decisions to subcontractors that aren’t directly accountable to the government. In California, health officials say one firm improperly withheld or delayed care for hundreds of people.