Latest California Healthline Stories
Unions Oppose Bid by Health Care Chain
Prime Healthcare’s possible purchase of six not-for-profit hospitals in California has drawn opposition from labor unions that warn for-profit Prime may cut worker benefits and shred safety-net services. Prime officials would neither confirm nor deny negotiations are under way.
Autism Community Welcomes Coverage
Questions remain about provider rates and other details of coverage, but overall the autism community in California couldn’t be happier with state officials’ plan to cover autism care for Medi-Cal beneficiaries, likely by the end of the year and retroactive to July 1.
Lawmaker Calls for ‘Substantive Change in Culture’ at State Health Department
One day after a frustrating and emotionally charged hearing, the head of the Assembly health committee took a step back and said it’s time for a “culture change” at the Department of Health Care Services.
Most Insurance Exchanges Just Got Bigger. Covered California Is Getting Smaller.
Bucking national trends, Covered California didn’t add any insurance carriers — and actually shed a plan — ahead of its second year. Is that because the exchange is already competitive, or are leaders too complacent?
Assembly Health Committee Chair Rips DHCS for Lack of Cooperation, Poor Care
Assembly Committee on Health Chair Richard Pan chastised the state Department of Health Care Services in a hearing yesterday, saying he has been “disappointed and frustrated” in his interactions with the department over the past two years.
Change And No Change At The Exchange
I’m sure you’ve heard that premiums for plans sold through our health insurance exchange, Covered California, will go up an average of 4.2 percent next year. Just remember, “average” means just that. Your premium increase (or decrease in some cases) will depend on a variety of factors, including where you live and what plan you […]
Sonoma Center Appeals Decertification
Sonoma Developmental Center officials filed a formal appeal with the California Department of Public Health over the state agency’s decertification of the center’s intermediate care facilities.
Health Data Sharing Becoming More Attainable but Also More Complex
Is the health care industry ready for a data-sharing revolution? Information technology experts say that while there’s been a paradigm shift in how health data are stored, used and shared, there are still many challenges ahead.
Public Health Information Portal Opens
The state Department of Public Health launched a new online data portal last week so that other public agencies and private innovators can create and design new applications for public use.
Legislature May Require Insurers To Track Patient Cost-Sharing
Health insurers often require patients to monitor their own out-of-pocket expenses. A bill in the state Legislature proposes to move that responsibility to insurers.