Insight

Latest California Healthline Stories

Health Reform Survey Shows Public Ready To Make Tradeoffs

Almost seven in 10 people agree the country’s health care system does not work well for most Americans, but they don’t agree on the best way to fix the problems, according to a new national survey on health reform options.

Health Care Clinics Worry About Implications of Scheduled Elimination of Medi-Cal Benefits

Elia Gallardo of the California Primary Care Association, Roberto Juarez of Clinicas del Camino Real in Ventura County and Nadereh Pourat of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research discussed the cuts with California Healthline.

Prop. 1E Pushes Voters To Reconsider Spending Priorities

Opponents say shifting funds from Proposition 63 programs will undermine mental health programs and cost the state more money in the long run. Supporters of the ballot measure say the money is needed now to help the state avert financial crisis.

Prop. 1D Called ‘Hobson’s Choice’ for Voters

Supporters urge a yes vote on Proposition 1D because the alternative “could be a lot worse.” Opponents say shifting money away from the First 5 program could jeopardize parts of the state’s safety net for uninsured kids.

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.

Budget Cuts in California Take Away From Expected Benefits of Federal Stimulus Money

Marty Lynch of the Lifelong Medical Care clinic, Chris Patterson of the California Primary Care Association, Sara Rosenbaum of George Washington University and Anthony Wright of Health Access California discuss the situation.

Stimulus Helps Clinics, Colleges Hire and Train Allied Health Workers

California schools that train allied health workers and the clinics and hospitals that hire them will benefit from federal transfusions that will help schools expand training and clinics weather cutbacks in state funding at the same time they’re seeing patient loads increase.

California Lawmakers Clear the Way for Stimulus Money

Rapid action on bills dealing with Medi-Cal and COBRA funding set the stage for part of the federal stimulus money to begin flowing into California.  The third and perhaps biggest flow of health care-related funds — for health information technology — will take longer and could be thornier.