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.
Loma Linda University Health Plans $1.2B Inland Empire Expansion
Loma Linda University Health officials expect a proposed $1.2 billion expansion to position the health system as one of the leading health care providers in the Inland Empire region. Unaffiliated health care analysts agree.
Hospital Mergers Are Out. ‘Strategic Alliances’ Are In. Is Obamacare Responsible?
Dignity Health and Kaiser are helping lead a new wave of deal making that focuses less on traditional mergers and more on quality alliances and joint ventures, as providers come together in the wake of the Affordable Care Act.
Judge Delays Alameda County Ruling
A Superior Court judge in Alameda County has put off making a decision about who should be running the finances following a state takeover of an East Bay local-initiative health plan.
Calif. Latino Webinar Series Goes National
A series of Spanish language webinars designed to inform and engage Latino businesses in California is going national this month with a broader, less state-specific message about health insurance opportunities for small businesses through the Affordable Care Act.
Lawsuits. Surprise Bills. Are ‘Narrow Networks’ a Speed Bump, or a Scandal?
Complaints about the “narrow networks” in the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges have taken a sharp turn, with regulators launching investigations and patients filing lawsuits. Are these simply rollout-related challenges, or are deeper problems to blame?
Amid Shortage Concerns, Could the ACA Bolster Primary Care Ranks?
The Affordable Care Act might be making primary care more attractive to medical residents, which would address an anticipated provider shortage. But some observers say any increase in students’ primary care interest is an illusion.
Unclear How Supreme Court’s Home Health Care Worker Ruling Will Affect California
The ruling by the nation’s highest court goes against home health care workers’ unions in Illinois — but advocates still are uncertain what it means for California.
Panel OKs Optometry Scope of Practice Bill
Legislation to help ease the crunch on primary care by expanding the scope of practice for California optometrists moved forward in the Legislature yesterday.
The ACA May Aggravate the Doc Shortage. What’s the ACA Going To Do About It?
With millions of U.S. residents gaining coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the law is expected to exacerbate predicted primary care physician shortages. However, the law contains several provisions intended to bolster the ranks of PCPs. What are those provisions, and do experts think they’ll work?