Latest California Healthline Stories
New Budget Makes ‘Major Change’ to Lanterman Act, Autism Policy
An obscure provision of the state budget bill could limit California families from receiving a specific kind of autism treatment because of what some are calling the first major revision of the Lanterman Act since the landmark disability law was passed in 1969.
First MCO Tax, Next Comes Rate-Setting
State officials reached an agreement on reinstating the managed care organization tax in part by addressing several of the desires of the institutions being taxed.
Spring Studies Carry Implications for Affordable Care Act
This spring found a slew of studies with important takeaways for the Affordable Care Act. Catch up with “Road to Reform” on five of the most important research offerings of the last few months.
Floor Vote Coming for ‘De-linking’ Plan
A legislative committee yesterday questioned a proposal to “de-link” some provisions of the Coordinated Care Initiative and to expand the role of the Department of Finance in the state’s plans for covering Californians eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal.
Plan for Autism Medi-Cal Benefit Rejected
State officials eliminated a plan to cover applied behavioral analysis — known as ABA therapy — as an essential health benefit for autistic children in Medi-Cal.
California Budget Puts Some Health Care Issues on Hold
State Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, considered a champion in many health care camps, acknowledged this year’s state budget fell short in a couple health care arenas, but he said the plan puts the state in a good position to increase health care spending in the future.
Bill Would Extend Private Plan Requirement To Cover Autism Therapy
An Assembly committee this week approved a bill to extend a requirement that private health insurers include a form of autism therapy in their California benefit plans.
Yamada Takes a Lonely Stand on ADHC Bill
A proposed bill to protect adult day health services was opposed by the people it was designed to benefit, and the author refused any amendments. Predictably, lawmakers rejected the bill.
Medi-Cal Dental Coverage Partially Restored
Northern California leaders of the campaign to restore dental coverage for adult Medi-Cal beneficiaries consider this week’s budget agreement between the governor and legislative leaders a partial victory.
Committee Finally Moves Health Reform Bills
The Assembly Committee on Health yesterday approved passage of two bills that made up the bulk of policy decisions in the legislative special session on health care.
Yesterday’s committee approval came the day after the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown hammered out a budget agreement. Some details of that pact have not been officially announced, including a provision for coverage of autism services. Autism coverage is implicitly contained — but could still be dropped — from one of the bills passed by the committee yesterday.
SBX1-1 by Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) would implement optional Medi-Cal expansion, paving the way for 1.4 million Californians earning up to 138% of federal poverty level to become eligible for the state’s Medicaid program.