Latest California Healthline Stories

In Battleground Races, Health Care Lags As Hot-Button Issue, Poll Finds
The economy and jobs tend to eclipse health care as the top voter concern in competitive congressional and gubernatorial races.

Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ CHIP (Finally) Gets Funded
In this episode of “What The Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post discuss the short-term spending bill passed by Congress that reopened the federal government and funded the Children’s Health Insurance Program for six years. The panelists also discussed the health programs still awaiting funding, and the intersection of religion and women’s health services at the Department of Health and Human Services.

CHIP Renewed For Six Years As Congress Votes To Reopen Federal Government
Funding for CHIP technically expired Oct. 1. Although both Democrats and Republicans said they wanted to continue the program, they could not agree on how to fund it.

When You Need A Breast Screening, Should You Get A 3-D Mammogram?
The newer images are more expensive, but it’s not yet clear if they are more effective in catching cancers that will kill.

Podcast: What The Health? Our First Live Show: What The Health Will Happen In 2018?
In this episode of “What The Health?” — taped before a live audience — panelists discuss the potential federal government shutdown and what may be in store for health in 2018. They are joined by former Medicare and Medicaid head Tom Scully.

Gloves Off, Fists Up: Nurses Storm Capitol To Renew Single-Payer Fight
The state nurses union struck a defiant tone at a Capitol rally and hearing, promising to continue their in-your-face tactics until the legislature passes a bill to create universal health coverage in California.

Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Should You Work For Your Medicaid Coverage?
In this episode of “What The Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss possible new work requirements for Medicaid recipients and the latest on renewing the Children’s Health Insurance Program, plus Rovner interviews Princeton health historian Paul Starr.

Trump’s Work-For-Medicaid Rule Puts Work On States’ Shoulders
States that opt to change their Medicaid program must figure out how to delineate who is covered by the new mandate, how to enforce the rules and how to handle the people seeking exemptions. In California, leaders say, it’s a non-starter.

With CHIP Funds Running Low, Doctors And Parents Scramble To Cover Kids’ Needs
Doctors are advising patients to be sure to fill medication orders now or are giving away drugs to make sure children have enough if their insurance disappears.

Trump Administration Clears Way To Force Some Medicaid Enrollees To Work
Allowing states to mandate that non-disabled Medicaid enrollees work as a condition for coverage would mark one of the biggest changes to the program since it began more than 50 years ago. A decision on the first of the state requests could come within days.