Health Care

Covered CA draws state and industry fire

Struggling to prove that it has stabilized its business model, Covered California rebuffed criticism from industry leaders burned by their Obamacare experience, while a new state report called the exchange’s own practices and plans into question. Most recently, Covered California fired back at

Another deadline delay for Covered CA

James Poulos February 3, 2016

Whether confused, unsure, busy or just procrastinating, Californians won yet another deadline extension for signing up with the state’s Obamacare exchange for health insurance coverage. Anyone who initiated enrollment prior to last Sunday’s deadline “will earn another week to finish up,”

New Obamacare rule roils CA farms, farmworkers

Chris Reed February 1, 2016

The Affordable Care Act has long worried the California agricultural industry. But now the complaints have intensified because of a new requirement expanding coverage. Obamacare has largely been in effect for more than two years, but it wasn’t until Jan.

Drug prices latest CA ballot battle

James Poulos December 30, 2015

Responding to a growing sense of alarm among state officials and the general public, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has secured approval for a ballot initiative that would coercively reduce the cost of prescription drugs. The California Drug Price Relief Act,

Covered California extends signup deadline after long waits, call surge

John December 27, 2015

A surge of last-minute callers inundated the state’s health insurance exchange for the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, forcing the agency to extend its hours of operation and the sign-up deadline for obtaining federally mandated health insurance. The

Resigning lawmaker Henry Perea takes job with pharmaceutical industry

John December 26, 2015

Assemblyman Henry Perea, who announced earlier this month his intention to resign from the Legislature, has revealed that he’ll be taking a job with the pharmaceutical industry. State law bans the Fresno Democrat from lobbying his former colleagues for one year following his tenure

SEIU targeting hospitals with ballot measure again

Chris Reed November 24, 2015

The state branch of the Service Employees International Union is launching another bid to use direct democracy to win leverage in its negotiations with California’s hospitals to improve health care access for poor people and to make union organizing easier.

Medi-Cal lands $6 billion waiver

James Poulos November 7, 2015

Just as the Golden State’s Medi-Cal waiver ran out, federal regulators rescued California yet again. Regulators “agreed in principle to a five-year, $6.2 billion waiver for California’s Medicaid program,” California Healthline reported. “That was good news for California health officials, who plan to

Covered California rolls out publicity campaign

James Poulos November 2, 2015

Covered California, the Golden State’s Affordable Care Act exchange, has rolled out a new publicity campaign timed to its third enrollment period. Expanding the exchange Officials have set their sights on increasing enrollment by upping the public profile of the state exchange,

Oregon claim of assisted suicide safeguards has critics

Chris Reed October 9, 2015

A key argument spurring Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent decision to sign a bill allowing physician-assisted suicide in California, and the Legislature’s desire to enact such a law, was that a similar law had worked well in Oregon after its 1997