Latest California Healthline Stories
One-Quarter of Possible Participants Have Opted Out of the Duals Project
About 50,000 dual-eligibles have now enrolled in Cal MediConnect, but the opt-out rate is high, particularly in Los Angeles County. Overall, more than 100,000 Californians eligible for Medi-Cal and Medicare have chosen not to participate.
UCSF Report Says Program To Diminish Tobacco Use in California Is Fading
UC-San Francisco researcher Stanton Glantz, Jim Knox of the American Cancer Society and Kimberly Amazeen of the American Lung Association spoke with California Healthline about a report outlining a decline in funding and effectiveness of the state’s tobacco control program. That is due, in part, to the resurgence of political power of the tobacco industry, they said.
State Tweaks Timeline for Duals Project
Alameda County has been dropped from the state’s duals demonstration project and automatic enrollment in Orange County will be delayed at least one more month.
New Tools To Stem Rising Prices
We asked stakeholders, researchers and consumer advocates to weigh in on new anti-inflationary tools such as payment limits for specific medical treatments and new rules for containing prescription drug spending.
Exchange Bus Tour ‘Resonating’ With Californians as Open Enrollment Nears
A week on a bus may not seem like grand fun, but for some Covered California officials barnstorming the state this week, it is an “eye-opening experience.”
Is Berkeley’s New Soda Tax a Tipping Point or an Outlier?
Proponents say the definitive victory for the nation’s first tax on sugary beverages is the beginning of a movement that will grow and spread. Big soda representatives say it’s an insignificant anomaly.
Promising Epilepsy Rx from UC-Davis
A new treatment for extremely severe epileptic seizures was found to be effective with no side effects in the first clinical use of an experimental medication, according to UC-Davis researchers.
What the Insiders Will Be Watching During the ACA’s Second Open Enrollment Period
With the Affordable Care Act’s second open enrollment period set to kick off this weekend, many observers are focusing on how many people will sign up for coverage. What else are experts paying attention to? California Healthline asked several to find out.
Medi-Cal Enrollment Jumps to 11.3 Million
Enrollment in Medi-Cal continues to rise and now includes almost one-third of the state’s population. The number of beneficiaries — estimated now at about 11.3 million — is likely to dip after the renewal period ends.
Pressure Ratchets Up on Pending Sale of Six Safety-Net Hospitals to Prime
A number of California legislators have joined the chorus of concerns about the impending sale of six Daughters of Charity hospitals, asking the state attorney general’s office to nix the sale.