Latest California Healthline Stories
New Bill Would Require Dental Insurers To Pay Minimum Percentage for Care
Medical-loss ratios are in place for health care insurance but they don’t apply to dental care. A new Assembly bill proposes to apply the same regulations to dental insurers in California.
Others May Follow Calif. in Considering Coverage for Undocumented Immigrants
A California bill to provide health insurance for those left out of the health care reform law — including undocumented immigrants — is thought to be the first of its kind in the country, but probably won’t be the last after national immigration reform efforts stall once again in Washington, D.C.
Bill Seeks Coverage for Undocumented Immigrants in California
A bill introduced in the California Legislature last week would create a state-funded system to provide health coverage for more than two million Californians expected to remain uninsured, including undocumented immigrants.
Uninsured Project Buoyed by State’s Success in Expanding Medi-Cal
Instead of talking only about what they hope to accomplish, attendees at the annual Insure the Uninsured Project conference in Sacramento this week had a lot to celebrate.
Grassroots Campaigns Hope To Increase Latino Enrollment in Exchange
Lizelda Lopez from Covered California, Tracy Ream from Neighborhood Healthcare in Escondido, Gregory Talavera from San Diego State University’s Graduate School of Public Health and California Sen. Norma Torres spoke with California Healthline about the reasons for low exchange enrollment and possible ways to increase Latino participation.
Poll of State College Students Breaks Stereotypes of ‘Young Invincibles’
The big barrier for health care insurance among young people is price not indifference, according to a new poll of state college students. The findings seem to contradict a common theme about “young invincibles” who don’t think they need health insurance.
Assembly Passes Continuity of Care Bill
Insurers would be required to cover a complete course of certain treatments despite termination of coverage under a bill approved unanimously last week by the state Assembly.
Study Shows Decline in Emergency Services Use Among Newly Insured
A new UCLA study showed a correlation between having health insurance and using fewer emergency department services — one of the primary cost-saving tenets of the Affordable Care Act.
CMS, State Officials Halt Participation of CalOptima in Dual-Eligible Plan
Federal officials found “widespread and systemic” violations in an audit of Southern California insurer CalOptima, causing state officials to exclude Orange County residents — at least temporarily — from the Cal MediConnect conversion of dual-eligibles to Medi-Cal managed care.
California Works To Help Small Businesses Navigate State Exchange
Rep. Ami Bera from Sacramento County, David Chase of the Small Business Majority, San Francisco business owner Virginia Donohue and Anne Gonzales of Covered California spoke with California Healthline about the growth and benefits for small businesses to enroll in the state’s health benefit exchange.