Latest California Healthline Stories
Who Wins if Republicans Repeal Health Reform Law?
The debate over the nation’s health care overhaul has reached its highest pitch in months, but most industry stakeholders are sitting out of Republicans’ fight to repeal the law. The industry’s silence illustrates an emerging consensus: with the exception of a few groups, even former opponents of the overhaul now want the law to stay.
New Year, but Same Old Budget Challenges
From coast to coast, governors and state legislators are assuming or returning to office with a common cry: We need to cut Medicaid. Are there new solutions to this old problem?
What You Missed While on Holiday Break
Washington, D.C., often goes quiet during the winter holiday season, but officials continued to pave the road to reform even as Congress was on break. Several agencies issued key guidance on implementing the federal health overhaul, and a number of new patient protections took effect last week.
Looking Back, Heading Forward: A Checkpoint on the Road to Reform
A year that began with unprecedented health reforms also featured unpredictable political twists and still unanswered questions over policy. As 2010 draws to a close, experts look back on the path to implementing the federal health law and what’s been tabled for next year.
Rationalizing Rationing in Arizona’s Medicaid Program
Both parties have debated whether the federal health reform law would lead to rationing. After Arizona’s unprecedented cuts to its Medicaid program, new questions have emerged about the difficult trade-offs around health care spending.
Myth-Busting the Reform Law: Sea Change or Scapegoat?
A number of organizations have painted the health reform law as a catalyst for changes in their industries. Yet some groups may be invoking the law as a scapegoat for transformations that would have happened anyway, or using it as a convenient platform on which to advance their interests.
Golden State Looks On as Others Threaten To Cut Medicaid
Can states pull out of the Medicaid program — and will they? The questions have taken on sudden importance, as some state officials suggest that health reform’s costs are too high and the federal program too restrictive.
Policy, Not Punditry: Update on Three Key Provisions
Speculation over the midterm elections’ effect on health reform has threatened to overshadow recent regulatory developments. Work to date on high-risk insurance pools, medical-loss ratios and accountable care organizations shows there are roadblocks beyond politics that could hamper reform.
What’s on Tap for Reform Before Next Congress Takes Over
As Congress enters a lame-duck session, lawmakers face several pieces of health reform-related legislation. Some Democrats may also weigh using the final days of their House majority to enact their own fixes to health reform.
How the Midterm Elections Could Shape Reform
The debate over health reform was heavily framed by the midterm elections. While Democrats had hoped the law’s passage would boost their prospects, Republicans appear likely to make significant gains and could further shape the overhaul’s implementation.