Latest California Healthline Stories
Blue Shield Lost Its Tax Exemption Last Year. Who’s Next?
After 75 years, Blue Shield of California is tax-exempt no more. With a slew of bills and audits underway across the nation, experts say to expect further scrutiny of not-for-profit insurers and hospitals — and possibly, a wave of other health care organizations losing tax-exempt status, too.
Are State Innovation Waivers the Future of Health Care Reform?
Some experts say that state innovation waivers, which will be available in 2017 under a provision of the Affordable Care Act, could move health reform efforts forward — particularly in states that have been reluctant to support the law. Are such waivers the future of health reform, or, as critics contend, a slippery slope that could weaken the ACA?
The Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Americans get access to health insurance. It’s credited with lowering the nation’s uninsured rate to record lows. But what promises has the law failed to keep?
Medicare, ACA Have Faced Similar Criticism. But Is That Where the Comparison Ends?
Just like the Affordable Care Act, Medicare went through some growing pains when it started 50 years ago. Does Medicare’s origin say anything about the future of the ACA?
The Quiet Threats to Obamacare
The Supreme Court case King v. Burwell has drawn a lot of attention because of its potential to hobble the Affordable Care Act. Even if the law survives the high court challenge, there are a number of other, less-obvious challenges facing Obamacare.
How To Avoid the Horse Race When Following the ACA Supreme Court Case
Wednesday’s oral arguments in King v. Burwell represent the culmination of a long legal battle over the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies. Here’s a look at several late-breaking developments and data that have shaped the case, as well as implications.
ACA Wish List: What Experts Say Congress Should Change About the Law This Year
Repealing the Affordable Care Act is unlikely to happen, but experts say several provisions of the law still need to be changed. What should be next on Congress’ list of priorities?
Narrow Networks Can Limit Patient Choice, but Are They Affecting Provider Behavior?
While most of the focus on narrow networks in the Affordable Care Act’s exchange plans has been on how they affect consumers, some health policy insiders have begun considering the impact of such plans on providers. But is it too soon to tell the full effects of such networks on hospitals and physicians?
How Two States Are Addressing Consumer Concerns About Narrow Networks
Insurers, regulators and state and federal lawmakers spent a good portion of last year belatedly acknowledging consumer complaints about health plans limited provider networks, learning more about the problem and drafting nascent solutions. Here’s a look at how two states are handling the issue.
The Measles Outbreak Is a Big Story. This One’s Bigger.
Vaccination news has dominated the headlines, but there’s a much bigger health policy story that stands to shake up the industry, experts say: Medicare’s new proposal to shift how it pays hospitals and doctors, which could ultimately transform health care’s decades-old fee-for-service system.