Rachel Bluth, Kaiser Health News

Author's posts

Democrats Say Abortion Is on the Line in Recall Election. But Rolling Back Rights Wouldn’t Be Easy.

Reproductive rights groups and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom argue that Californians’ access to abortion would be threatened if he is recalled. But a replacement governor’s power to restrict access to the procedure would be limited.

A California Bill Would Limit Protests at Vaccination Sites. Does It Violate the First Amendment?

A proposal breezing through the state legislature would make it illegal to obstruct someone from getting a covid-19 shot, or any other vaccine, but some free speech experts say it goes too far.

California Makes It Easier for Low-Income Residents to Get and Keep Free Health Coverage

State lawmakers aim to expand Medicaid enrollment by dedicating billions of dollars in coming years to simplifying paperwork, extending pregnancy coverage and opening the program to thousands of new enrollees, including older unauthorized immigrants and people who need nursing home care.

Grab Your Mask and Notepad, We’re Headed Back to California’s State Capitol

After being mostly closed to the public and the press for more than a year, California’s state Capitol is open again — masks, temperature checks, covid outbreaks and all.

Doctor on Call? Lawmakers Debate How Much to Pay for Phone Appointments

Phone visits became an option for many Medicare and Medicaid patients during the pandemic. Now policymakers are deciding whether they’re worth the money.

With Restrictions Tightening Elsewhere, California Moves to Make Abortion Cheaper

California lawmakers are debating a bill that would eliminate out-of-pocket costs that often prevent people from obtaining abortions, proponents say.

Hit by Higher Prices for Gear, Doctors and Dentists Want Insurers to Pay

The costs of personal protective equipment and disinfecting offices while seeing fewer patients have some doctors and dentists demanding that insurance companies step up.

After a Deadly Year on the Roads, States Push for Safety Over Speed

Lawmakers in California and other states are rethinking how they set and enforce speed limits, and they’re proposing to hand more power to local authorities to slow drivers in their communities.

In California, Blue Shield’s Vaccination Takeover Fixes What Wasn’t Broken

Rural Mendocino County had finally figured out its vaccination program. But now the community clinics that helped make it happen are changing course as Blue Shield of California takes over the state vaccine program.

Vaccines Go Mobile to Keep Seniors From Slipping Through the Cracks

A strike team of nurses and others is vaccinating Contra Costa County’s hardest-hit populations right where they live.