Latest California Healthline Stories
Should Calif. Set Charity Minimum for Not-for-Profit Hospitals?
We asked legislators, stakeholders and consumer advocates to weigh in on a bill before the state Legislature calling for the state to establish a minimum amount of charity care for private, tax-exempt not-for-profit hospitals.
Should California Expand Providers’ Scope of Practice?
Hoping to bolster the ranks of providers able to deal with millions of newly insured Californians, the California Legislature this month will consider a proposal to give mid-level health care practitioners more autonomy and authority. We asked legislators and stakeholders if that’s a good idea.
How Might Immigration Reform Influence Health Care Reform?
We asked policymakers, immigration experts and consumer advocates how immigration reform might influence health care reform in California.
Should Calif. Be Model for National Mental Health System?
We asked mental health experts and lawmakers how California and the nation should respond to the public debate triggered by the killing of 26 people at an elementary school last month. Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg has urged the White House to use California’s mental health system as a national model.
Setting Priorities in Health Care Special Session and Beyond
We asked lawmakers and stakeholders to use post-election perspective to define priorities for both the state Legislature’s special session on health care next month and the legislative session that follows.
Move Toward Openness in Health Care Pricing, Performance
We asked stakeholders and experts if California should be actively pursuing changes to let consumers and purchasers get a clearer picture of pricing and performance in the state’s health care system.
How Should Exchange Handle Vision, Dental Coverage?
Federal guidelines provide some direction, but state insurance exchanges are largely on their own when deciding details of offering vision and dental coverage under the Affordable Care Act. We asked stakeholders and consumer advocates what California should do.
Can Health Policy Contribute to Drop in Crime Rate?
Two significant changes in California’s health system — federal reform and realignment of state and county responsibilities for government health programs — offer new opportunities to improve the way things work in California on many fronts, including the criminal justice system, according to some. We asked experts to explain how.
Should California Follow Mass. Cost-Control Example?
We asked experts and stakeholders if California should be considering something similar to Massachusetts’ new law designed to allow health care costs to grow no faster than the state’s economy.
Designing a New Tier of Dental Professional in California
The California Legislature this month will consider a bill that could set the stage for a new tier of oral health care provider — people less educated than dentists but with enough training to perform some dental procedures. We asked stakeholders and experts how the state should proceed.