Road to Reform

Latest California Healthline Stories

What Paul Ryan’s Reforms Would Mean for California

Mitt Romney’s running mate has authored several budget proposals that would transform Medicare and Medicaid. How would Ryan’s changes affect the Golden State, and how do they compare to the Affordable Care Act’s reforms?

Mass. Panic: Did State Wait Too Long To Try Cost Control?

Experts are cautiously optimistic that a new Massachusetts law will be a much-anticipated cure for the state’s rising health spending. But others say that the state’s new cost controls — which could be a model for the nation — aren’t the right prescription for reform.

Breaking Down the Three Health Reforms Taking Effect Today

Defenders of the Affordable Care Act can point to a pair of reforms taking effect today that offer immediate benefits. Meanwhile, Oregon moves forward with its own transformative health care pilot.

To Gauge ObamaCare Impact, Ignore CBO and Focus on AQC

Which three-letter acronym actually matters most in health reform this month? Many are focusing on the CBO’s projections — but news about the AQC, a Massachusetts pilot project, could hold the keys to unlocking ObamaCare’s potential.

How Much Will States’ Medicaid Expansions Really Cost?

State officials are wrestling with whether to join the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, but as part of their evaluation process, many are relying on cost estimates that are not accurate.

The Medicaid Mess: Where Do States Stand on ObamaCare Expansion?

State leaders are wrestling with whether to take part in the Affordable Care Act’s newly voluntary Medicaid expansion. Several policy and political concerns are driving their decisions.

ACA Upheld: Why Were So Many Predictions So Wrong?

We mocked their guarantees, but the scholars who were sure that the Supreme Court would affirm the Affordable Care Act’s constitutionality were proved right in the end. Here are five reasons why more prominent pundits led us astray.

After the ObamaCare Verdict: Who Gets the Blame?

It may not be fair to focus on winners and losers, to prioritize assigning blame rather than assigning patients to ACOs. But for the foreseeable future — and for decades to come — this week’s events will be interpreted through a simple lens: who underprepared and who overreached in the battle over the Affordable Care Act.

The Simple Reason — Maybe? — Why Health Costs Have Slowed Down

Health costs are growing at their slowest level in 50 years. Some say it’s because of new cost-control efforts; others chalk it up to implementation of the Affordable Care Act. But there’s probably an easier explanation: the recession.

CMMI: ‘Pork Project’ or Manhattan Project?

Some herald the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation as a transformative reform. Others say it’s a $10 billion slush fund. On the eve of another round of funding awards, here’s a look at both sides.