Latest California Healthline Stories
LAO Report: State Could Lose $1 Billion
The state Legislative Analyst’s Office warns California could lose $1 billion in federal funding if a revised managed care organization tax is not approved.
Should Terminally Ill Californians Have the Right To Choose How, When They Die?
We asked legislators, physicians, nurses, religious leaders and consumer advocates to weigh in on a proposal in the state Legislature that would give terminally ill Californians the right to ask for medical help to end their lives.
New UC Medical Center Supports Obama’s Precision Medicine Initiative
UC-San Francisco’s new $1.5 billion hospital complex at Mission Bay opened its doors Feb. 1 with plans to use new technology and patient-centric care to pursue its mission to expand precision medicine, one of President Obama’s fast-track initiatives.
Soda Warning Label Bill Is Back
A proposal to print a health warning on sugary drinks in California that generated heated debate last year has been reintroduced in the state Legislature.
How Two States Are Addressing Consumer Concerns About Narrow Networks
Insurers, regulators and state and federal lawmakers spent a good portion of last year belatedly acknowledging consumer complaints about health plans limited provider networks, learning more about the problem and drafting nascent solutions. Here’s a look at how two states are handling the issue.
Health Care for the Undocumented Complicated by Cost Questions
Elizabeth Landsberg of the Western Center on Law and Poverty, H.D. Palmer of the state Department of Finance, Nadereh Pourat of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and undocumented college student Darwin Velasquez spoke with California Healthline about the intentions and possible effects of a new bill introduced in the Senate to provide health care to the undocumented population in California.
Patient Satisfaction Among Low-Income Patients on the Rise, Survey Says
Despite concerns about problems with access to care as millions of residents gained health coverage through Medi-Cal expansion or Covered California, patient satisfaction among low-income Californians increased from 2011 to 2014, according to a study by Blue Shield of California Foundation.
Got An Obamacare Tax Credit? You May Need A Tax Preparer.
Hey, health insurance stragglers, this is your moment. Obamacare’s second open-enrollment period ends Feb. 15, which is the last day to apply for health coverage for 2015 from Covered California or the private market. (That is, unless you experience a major life change such as the birth of a child, divorce or job loss, which would […]
Analyst’s Office Cites ‘Shortcomings’ in Mental Health Hospitals’ Administration
Poor budgeting methods, administrative inefficiencies and unclear staffing needs all combine for a low score for the California Department of State Hospitals, according to a new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
How Immigration Changes, Proposal for Undocumented Could Affect Medi-Cal
A new study estimates the number of uninsured in California at roughly three million — about half of them undocumented. President Obama’s executive order on immigration and a new state proposal to insure California’s undocumented could change the state’s insurance landscape significantly.