Latest California Healthline Stories
Kent Confirmed As DHCS Director
The Senate Rules Committee made it official this week, voting unanimously to confirm Jennifer Kent as director of the Department of Health Care Services.
Hearing On Mergers May Get Testy
A hearing this week examining a merger of health insurance companies — one of three proposed deals pending approval — could get a little heated.
Legislature Eyeing $2 Billion Surplus
More rainy day money or restoration of programs and services cut under Gov. Brown’s first budget? That’s for the Legislature to decide.
Putting Medical Marijuana Laws Into Action
Hearings are scheduled in Sacramento this week to discuss implementation and revision of new laws governing California’s medicinal marijuana industry.
Sobriety Clause Dooms Homeless Pilot
Some centers for homeless families have shown strong results by requiring random drug testing as part of their programs — but a bill to fund them failed over that provision yesterday in the California Legislature.
Aging Plan Gets Downscaled, Approved
The state Senate Health Committee yesterday approved a bill to reform California’s “unnavigable” aging and long-term care system.
Drug Pricing Bill Can’t Pass Committee
Just like last year, a bill in the California Legislature to require pricing transparency by pharmaceutical companies was pulled from the Assembly Health Committee for lack of votes.
Agreement may be near for replacing California’s $1.1 billion managed care organization tax, which now looks nothing like it did when it was first proposed.
Let the Budget Plan Pushback Begin
Gov. Brown’s proposed budget released last week brings into focus some of the likely areas of disagreement over health care spending.
Dual-Eligible Coordinated Care Program Gets Vote of Confidence in Gov.’s Budget
The state’s duals demonstration project, thought to be in danger of discontinuation, features prominently in the governor’s budget proposal — assuming a new managed care organization tax can be created.