Latest California Healthline Stories
Community Health Centers Caught In ‘Washington’s Political Dysfunction’
Without action by Congress, federal funding for the centers will end March 31. California, with more than 1,300 centers providing care for 6.5 million people, will be hit hard if the money dries up. Nationwide, nearly 10,000 centers serve 27 million people and get about 20 percent of their funding from the federal government.
No Car, No Care? Medicaid Transportation At Risk
For over 50 years, the program for the poor and sick has been required to ferry certain clients to and from medical appointments. Though California is not among the states out to cut this service, it could still feel the pinch if the feds slash Medicaid funding overall.
Stalled Health Programs Await A Green Light On The Hill
With another piece of must-pass legislation set to move through Congress, there’s a push to attach provisions to keep afloat a number of health-related programs for which funding or specific federal direction has expired.
As States Target High Drug Prices, Pharma Targets State Lawmakers
In Louisiana, the wining and dining of lawmakers by scores of pharma lobbyists proves a valuable lesson on how to win statehouse votes and influence profits, though their efforts fell short in California, which passed a drug transparency bill in 2017 despite massive opposition from drugmakers.
After Polyps Are Detected, Patients May No Longer Qualify For Free Colonoscopies
While the federal health law made insurers cover the full cost of screening colonoscopies, consumers with a history of polyps who need more frequent tests may have to pick up some costs.
Idaho ‘Pushing Envelope’ With Health Insurance Plan. Can It Do That?
Many eyes are on the Trump administration to see how officials respond to Idaho’s approach to health insurance, which flouts some aspects of the Affordable Care Act.
Opioid Crisis Hits Home: An Uncle’s Overdose Spurs Medicaid Official To Change Course
Andrey Ostrovsky, who until last month was chief medical officer for Medicaid, quit his job so he could more directly fight the stigma of drug addiction.
My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren’t My Genes Italian?
Popular DNA ancestry tests don’t always find what people expect. That is because of how DNA rearranges itself when egg meets sperm — and the quirks of genetic databases.
Treating Domestic Violence As A Medical Problem
Health care professionals increasingly collaborate with anti-abuse advocates to identify victims and ensure they get the help they need. One women’s center is opening a shelter on the campus of a large public hospital in Los Angeles.
In Battleground Races, Health Care Lags As Hot-Button Issue, Poll Finds
The economy and jobs tend to eclipse health care as the top voter concern in competitive congressional and gubernatorial races.