Latest California Healthline Stories
LA Care Passes Duals Readiness Review
CMS officials gave the green light yesterday for LA Care to participate in California’s duals demonstration project, though the insurer still will miss half a year of automatic enrollment.
‘We Ain’t Done Yet,’ Steinberg Says at Legislative Hearing on Autism Coverage
Access to autism coverage has improved in California in the past year but major steps still need to be taken according to experts at a state Senate hearing yesterday, including State Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, author of an autism bill signed into law in 2011.
Survey: Better Access to Autism Care, but Co-Pays Too High for Many Families
A survey to be released at a legislative hearing today shows access to autism services increased for California families as a result of a new state law, but some families were unable to afford co-payments and deductibles under new regulations established after the law took effect.
Advocates Say State Cooperating With Possible Revamp of Notices to Duals
As the May 1 launch of much of the state’s duals demonstration project gets closer, concerns about its implementation have increased, but advocates are encouraged by state officials’ willingness to listen and respond to worries.
New Autism Designation Promises To Be A Central Topic at Annual Conference
How a new designation for one type of autism could alter insurance coverage may be a central topic of discussion at an annual statewide behavior analysis conference starting today in Burlingame.
Homeless Motel-Clinic Program Honored
A pair of innovators who started a post-hospital recuperative program for homeless people in Southern California will be honored today in Sacramento for their work.
State Broaches Idea of Eliminating California Children’s Services Carve-Out
State officials announced this week the beginning of a stakeholder process to potentially end the carve-out funding for California Children’s Services, a 22-year-old program for children with severe and rare illnesses.
Duals Project Schedule Unchanged
The state’s demonstration project to coordinate care for Californians eligible for Medi-Cal and Medicare will proceed as scheduled, despite a request from advocates last week calling for the project to be delayed.
Advocates Ask for Delay in Duals Project
Advocates for seniors and the disabled sent an “urgent request” to federal and state officials last week asking them to delay the start of California’s duals demonstration project.
New Bill Would Require Dental Insurers To Pay Minimum Percentage for Care
Medical-loss ratios are in place for health care insurance but they don’t apply to dental care. A new Assembly bill proposes to apply the same regulations to dental insurers in California.