Category: California

California’s Resolve Questioned After It Grants Medi-Cal Contract Concessions

After the Department of Health Care Services canceled Medi-Cal contract awards under pressure from major insurers, some consumer advocates question the administration’s willpower to improve care in the safety-net program.

More Californians Are Dying at Home. Another Covid ‘New Normal’?

The proportion of Californians dying at home, rather than in a hospital or nursing home, accelerated during the pandemic, a trend that has outlasted the rigid lockdowns linked to the initial shift.

Latino Teens Are Deputized as Health Educators to Sway the Unvaccinated

Some community health groups are training Latino teens to conduct outreach and education, particularly in places where covid vaccine fears linger.

The Biggest, Buzziest Conference for Health Care Investors Convenes Amid Fears the Bubble Will Burst

This year’s JPMorgan confab, the first since covid’s chilling effect on such gatherings, was full of energy and enthusiasm. But it was also marked by questions about the future of health care investment.

California Attorney General Sues Drugmakers Over Inflated Insulin Prices

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking three major drugmakers and three distributors to court, alleging the companies illegally raised prices at the expense of diabetes patients.

Despite Doctors’ Concerns, University of California Renews Ties With Religious Affiliates

The public university’s health system is renewing contracts with outside hospitals and clinics even as some doctors and faculty say clearer language is needed to protect physicians performing abortions and gender-affirming treatments.

Listen: Who Investigates Suspicious Deaths in Your Community — And Why It Matters

KHN senior correspondent Samantha Young appeared on the “Apple News Today” podcast and KOA, a public radio station in Denver, to discuss the difference between coroners and medical examiners and why it matters.

California Senate’s New Health Chair to Prioritize Mental Health and Homelessness

California state Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman of Stockton has been appointed chair of the Senate’s influential health committee. A licensed social worker, Eggman said she will make mental health care and homelessness front-burner issues.

Lost Sleep and Jangled Nerves: The Rising Onslaught of Noise Harms Mind and Body

Noise pollution is a growing problem that isn’t confined to the ears: It can cause harm throughout the body. California is taking baby steps to address the increasing din from traffic and illegally modified cars, but public health experts urge lawmakers to act more boldly.

Many Families With Unaffordable Employer Coverage Now Eligible for Covered California Subsidies

If family coverage on an employer-sponsored plan is too expensive, a worker’s spouse and dependents may be eligible for Affordable Care Act subsidies under a new federal rule.