Latest California Healthline Stories
Tobacco Tax Proposal Set To Rise Again
After a number of failed legislative attempts and two narrow ballot-measure losses, the proposal to raise the tobacco tax is officially back at $2 a pack.
Is Berkeley’s New Soda Tax a Tipping Point or an Outlier?
Proponents say the definitive victory for the nation’s first tax on sugary beverages is the beginning of a movement that will grow and spread. Big soda representatives say it’s an insignificant anomaly.
Promising Epilepsy Rx from UC-Davis
A new treatment for extremely severe epileptic seizures was found to be effective with no side effects in the first clinical use of an experimental medication, according to UC-Davis researchers.
Rural Hospitals’ Success Under ACA Marred by Delays, Supreme Court Ruling
Rural hospitals stand to benefit from many of the Affordable Care Act’s provisions, but some of those benefits have been delayed and others have been changed in court. How are rural hospitals faring under the health reform law so far?
How Jail Survey Affects Health Care
The expansion of the Medi-Cal program will be keenly felt by Californians in county jails or on probation, many of whom have not had access to coverage before. One researcher said the transitional time for inmates is a perfect opportunity to gain coverage.
Pilot Program Targets Senior Nutrition
It may not be just children who need the most important meal of the day. A new pilot program is studying the health effects of breakfast meals on seniors.
Statewide Rural Health Association Returns
After a year in the dark, the familiar voice of policy and advocacy for California’s rural health communities is coming back. With no staff, no office and technical framework still under construction, the California State Rural Health Association is trying a different, less costly approach to connecting and advocating for the state’s disparate rural health care providers.
Sonoma Center Appeals Decertification
Sonoma Developmental Center officials filed a formal appeal with the California Department of Public Health over the state agency’s decertification of the center’s intermediate care facilities.
Public Health Information Portal Opens
The state Department of Public Health launched a new online data portal last week so that other public agencies and private innovators can create and design new applications for public use.
California Lawmakers Considering Separate Marketplace for Vision Insurance
We asked stakeholders and consumer advocates what they thought about a bill proposing a statewide marketplace for vision insurance that would be separate from — but linked to — Covered California.