Latest California Healthline Stories
Covered California 2017 Rate Hikes Will Hit State’s Central Coast Hardest
Highest premium increases could force some exchange enrollees to drop Obamacare plans, even with subsidies.
Medicare’s Readmission Penalties Hit New High
Medicare will withhold an estimated $528 million in 2017 from more than 2,500 hospitals — including 225 in California — that have too many patients returning within 30 days.
Teaching In-Home Caregivers Seems To Pay Off
Intensive training for such aides helps reduce repeated ER visits and hospitalizations of elderly disabled people, a pilot project suggests.
Long-Term Care Is An Immediate Problem — For The Government
Medi-Cal has become the payer of first resort for many Californians unable to afford the long-term care they need.
University of California OKs $8.5 Million For Two Patients Suing Over Financial Conflicts
The patients allege that Dr. Jeffrey Wang, former executive director of UCLA’s spine center, failed to disclose his conflicts of interest with device maker Medtronic before using the company’s devices in surgeries that left them in chronic pain. Both UCLA and Medtronic deny wrongdoing.
Obamacare Expansion A Bumpy Ride For Rural Health Clinics
A Northern California clinic network is overwhelmed with Medi-Cal patients after the Affordable Care Act rollout.
Women And The Zika Virus: Smart Questions And A Few Solid Answers
Here’s a breakdown of what women should know, and what is still unclear, regarding how Zika is transmitted, who is at risk and how to take precautions against it.
Can I Afford To Keep My Doctor?
Covered California says most consumers can avoid double-digit premium hikes next year if they shop around. But will enrollees be willing to switch plans if it means having to change doctors?
Deportation-relief programs would have meant access to subsidized health care.
Teaching Future Doctors About Addiction
Most medical schools offer very little education on treating opioid addiction. Stanford University’s medical school is trying to ramp it up.