Latest California Healthline Stories
Dropped From Health Insurance Without Warning: Was It Legal?
People who buy insurance on their own may have little notice when something goes amiss. It’s a quirk in health policy at the heart of the next episode of ‘An Arm and a Leg’ podcast.
Mired In Medical Debt? Federal Plan Would Update Overdue-Bill Collection Methods
More than half of Americans contacted about an overdue bill said it related to medical debt. A federal agency has proposed new guidance for what debt collectors are allowed to do when pursuing many types of overdue consumer bills, including medical debt. But some consumer advocates have panned the effort.
Newsom Proposes Penalty To Fund Health Insurance Subsidies
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to help an estimated 850,000 Californians pay their health insurance premiums and would fund his plan with a tax penalty on people who don’t have coverage. If he succeeds, California would be the first state to subsidize middle-income people who make too much to qualify for federal financial aid.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Lawmakers Push To Stop Surprise ER Billing
Millions of Californians are vulnerable to hefty surprise medical bills from their trips to the emergency room. Now, state lawmakers are considering a measure to cap how much out-of-network hospitals can charge privately insured patients for emergency care, which could serve as a model for other states.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Analysis: A Health Care Overhaul Could Kill 2 Million Jobs, And That’s OK
Reform has a cost. But the point of a health care system is to treat patients, not to buttress the economy.
House Hagglers Zero In On Single-Payer And It All Comes Down To Two Little Words
At Wednesday’s House Budget Committee, Congressional Budget Office experts outlined the complexities of implementing an overhaul of America’s health insurance system.
Are Surprises Ahead For Legislation To Curb Surprise Medical Bills?
This high-profile issue has gained bipartisan attention, but it remains unclear if that’s enough to move it to the finish line. Here’s a review of the current state of play.
Did The ACA Create Preexisting Condition Protections For People In Employer Plans?
Not exactly. We found that protections for preexisting conditions for most people with job-based insurance predated the Affordable Care Act by more than a decade.