Insurance

Latest California Healthline Stories

A Transgender Woman’s Quest For Surgery Caught In Political Crosswinds

Dramatic policy swings, from an unprecedented expansion of transgender rights under the Obama administration to the unpredictable reduction of trans rights under President Donald Trump, have left many trans Americans feeling the whiplash.

A Transgender Woman’s ‘Bait-And-Switch’ $92,000 Surgery Bill

After being promised a significant discount for paying cash upfront and forgoing insurance, a Wisconsin patient gets caught in the middle between hospital and insurer — and feels snookered by a last-minute surprise and billing snafu.

California’s ACA Rates To Rise 8.7% Next Year

The average increase in California is smaller than the double-digit hikes expected around the nation, due largely to a healthier mix of enrollees and more competition in its marketplace. Still, health insurance prices keep growing faster than wages and general inflation.

Children With Disabilities Endure Long Waits For Life-Changing Medical Equipment

Some California children with serious health care problems wait more than a year for wheelchairs, bath benches, commodes, specialized crutches and other crucial medical equipment. Critics blame the delays on a confusing bureaucratic maze of private insurers and public programs.

States Attacking ACA Would Suffer Most If Preexisting Conditions Shield Gets Axed

A coalition of Republican states has launched a legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, including provisions requiring insurers to offer coverage to people with preexisting conditions without raising rates. An analysis shows that some of these states have the highest proportion of such residents.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ ACA Under Fire. Again.

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Julie Appleby of Kaiser Health News discuss the health politics of the latest Supreme Court pick, as well as the Trump administration’s efforts to further undermine the Affordable Care Act. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week.

Insurers Fall Short In Catching And Reporting Medicaid Fraud, Inspectors Find

Medicaid has struggled for years with poor oversight and billions lost to improper payments. A new report finds that despite their fraud-fighting rhetoric, Medicaid managed-care companies are not as rigorous as they should be in ensuring the integrity of the Medicaid payment system.