Latest California Healthline Stories
Insurers Flip the Script: Making Sense of Givebacks
Blue Shield of California pledged to cap its income. Aetna requested to cut its premiums in Connecticut. The moves aren’t unprecedented. But will they set a precedent?
Health Reform Legislation Regularly Assailed
Last week’s deadline to get legislation through the Assembly and Senate saw a number of big-ticket health care proposals make their way through the Legislature — including one bill to regulate rate hikes by health insurers, and another to launch a new kind of basic health care insurance program in California.
Many of the health-related proposals — especially ones that had anything to do with meeting federal guidelines for implementation of the federal health reform law in 2014 — met with resistance, skepticism and sometimes derision.
New ACOs Emerging in Northern California
Two new accountable care organizations are taking shape in San Francisco. Exactly how ACOs work and where they fit in reform are still to be determined, but there is little doubt they will have significant influence on how health care is delivered and paid for.
Next Political Battle Brewing on Medicaid Messaging
Democrats have seized on Republicans’ planned reforms to Medicare, using the issue to frame their deficit reduction talks and as a starting point for political campaigns. While the GOP’s Medicaid proposal has drawn less scrutiny, advocates are expected to focus on threats to the program’s funding in the coming weeks.
Where Do Brokers Fit in New Health Insurance Picture?
We asked experts and stakeholders to weigh in on a bill in Congress that would exempt insurance brokers’ fees from being classified as administrative costs under the Affordable Care Act’s medical loss ratio provisions.
The Other Republican Health Reformer
As governor, one GOP presidential candidate oversaw dramatic health reforms in his state. His name? Tim Pawlenty.
Why Nursing Homes Want To Waive Goodbye to Reform Law
Should health care workers get adequate health care — or should nursing homes be exempt from the health reform law? Long-term care providers test the boundaries.
Basic Health Program: Good or Bad for California?
The California Health Benefit Exchange board met earlier this week to discuss the possibility of setting up a Basic Health Program (BHP) as an alternative to one section of the exchange.
The BHP is an alternative to the exchange’s coverage for two sets of Californians — adults with incomes between 133% and 200% of the federal poverty level, and for legal immigrants with incomes below 133% of the poverty level.
Yesterday, a legislative briefing with a panel of experts was convened in the Capitol building to go over the idea. The briefing was co-sponsored by the Senate Committee on Health and by the California HealthCare Foundation. CHCF publishes California Healthline.
Health Care Providers Gearing Up To Roll Out Accountable Care Organizations in California
Don Crane of the California Association of Physician Groups, Kristen Miranda of Blue Shield of California and Leah Newkirk of the California Academy of Family Physicians spoke with California Healthline about efforts to create accountable care organizations in California.
Sequels to ObamaCare: ScottCare, ShumlinCare and More Take Stage
As states implement the federal health care law, three new governors are carrying out bold health reforms of their own — and possibly setting a template for similar decisions across the nation.