Latest California Healthline Stories
Rate Regulation Battle Lines Drawn
Strategies are taking shape in the battle over a ballot initiative to give California officials regulatory authority over health insurance rate increases. Two days after proponents staged a rally denouncing huge cash reserves held by Kaiser Permanente, opponents released a study finding that such regulation could throw a wrench in reform efforts.
High-Profile Ballot Measure Hopes To Curb Health Insurance Rate Hikes
Businesswoman Marti Conger, Jamie Court of Consumer Watchdog, R. Adams Dudley of UC-San Francisco, physician Ted Mazer, Dylan Roby of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and Robin Swanson of Californians Against Higher Health Care Costs spoke with California Healthline about an expensive and controversial November ballot measure that would give enforcement power to the state Insurance Commissioner to regulate health insurance rate hikes.
Advocates Claim Civil Rights Violations of Chronically Ill From Benefit Design
High coinsurance costs in specialty tiers are keeping lifesaving medications out of reach of consumers with some chronic illnesses, according to patient advocacy groups.
UCLA Study: Even With Coverage, Undocumented Use Fewer Services
A new study showing undocumented Californians use fewer health care services than U.S. citizens could make a proposed California bill to cover those left out of the Affordable Care Act more palatable.
New Report Shows Rate Review Process Saved Californians $349M Since 2011
A new analysis suggesting California’s health insurance rate review process saves money comes as legislators and voters consider new, stronger proposals to regulate health insurance premiums.
L.A. County’s Remaining Uninsured Bound for a Medical Home
With more than one million Los Angeles County residents still lacking health insurance, a new iteration of the Healthy Way L.A. program launches in September to provide coverage for those left out of health reform changes.
Panel OKs Bill To Cover Undocumented
A plan to provide health coverage for undocumented Californians took a big step forward yesterday with approval from the Senate health committee. A major question — how to pay for it — remains unanswered.
Advocates Roll Out Plan for Uninsured
At an Assembly hearing yesterday, advocates floated a proposal for a state-funded program to provide health insurance for the undocumented population in California.
State Limits Denial of Autism Therapy
New mental health parity regulations announced this week could signal more penalties for delay or denial of autism treatment by insurers in California.
Big Campaign Spending Due in June
Both sides of the November ballot measure to regulate health insurance rate hikes expect an advertising surge will begin in June after the initiative is assigned a proposition number.