Latest California Healthline Stories
California Offers Examples of Public Plans in House Hearings
Officials for two different types of Medi-Cal managed care plans appeared before a House committee last week in support of including a public plan in health care reform legislation, while a representative of the Pacific Business Group on Health raised businesses’ concerns about such a plan.
State’s Public Health Programs Excel at Cost Control, Study Shows
Health premiums for plans purchased by private California employers increased by 138% over the past decade, almost four times more than premium increases for Medi-Cal and Healthy Families coverage from the same insurance companies, according to new research.
Californians Rank Health Coverage Essentials in New Study
California patients prefer a no-frills approach to health insurance, and they’re willing to trade non-essential coverage for keeping costs down, according to a new report, “What Matters Most.”
CalPERS Rolls Out New Initiative in Hopes of Controlling Health Care Costs More Effectively
Juan Davila of Blue Shield of California, Greg Franklin of CalPERS and David Lansky of the Pacific Business Group on Health discuss the new CalPERS program with California Healthline.
Health Reform Déjà Vu: Will Federal Efforts Follow State’s Path?
The similarities between California’s health care reform efforts in 2007-2008 and the current push for national health reform are undeniable, but will the outcome be the same? Health policy experts say transparency and bipartisanship are the keys to success.
Most Adolescents Not Getting Preventive Care, UCSF Study Shows
Almost two-thirds of adolescents in the United States don’t get the minimum recommended level of preventive health care services, according to researchers at UC-San Francisco. The authors of the study hope it will boost support for addressing preventive care in health care reform efforts in Washington, D.C., and California.
Report Foresees Dramatic Rise in Alzheimer’s Disease Over Next Two Decades in California
Debra Cherry of the Alzheimer’s Association, Linda Hewett of UCSF’s Alzheimer’s and Memory Center, Patrick Fox of the Institute for Health & Aging at UCSF’s School of Nursing and Linda Rudolph of the state’s Center for Chronic Disease Prevention discussed the trend.
Republican Sen. Aanestad Puts Forward Market-Based Plan To Rework Health Care in California
Linda Halderman, senior policy adviser for Sen. Sam Aanestad, John Graham of the Pacific Research Institute, Assembly member Dave Jones and Anthony Wright of Health Access discussed the legislation with California Healthline.
Advocates Lobby Against Eliminating Adult Denti-Cal Coverage
Adult dental coverage will be one of nine benefits that Medi-Cal will eliminate if the state does not receive at least $10 billion in federal stimulus money for budget relief over the next 16 months. Advocates say that cut would have long-term consequences for the oral health of Californians of all ages.
Effort Pushes for New Yardstick To Measure Poverty in California
Almost half of California’s seniors struggle to pay for medical costs, housing, food, transportation and other basic needs, according to a new report. It was released in conjunction with a push for a new way to measure poverty — and determine eligibility for publicly funded programs — in California.