In Legislative Shuffle, California Prioritizes Safety Gear and Sick Leave During Crisis
Lawmakers are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign bills that would address the challenges of the current COVID-19 crisis and help the state prepare for future pandemics.
California Rx: State May Dive Into Generic Drug Market
California could become the first state to develop its own line of generic drugs under a bill approved Monday by the legislature. The measure heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom for consideration.
鈥淟ost on the Frontline鈥 is an ongoing project by Kaiser Health News and The Guardian that aims to document the lives of health care workers in the U.S. who died from COVID 19, and to investigate why so many are victims of the disease.
California GOP Consultant Rues 鈥楤ig Mistake鈥 That Led to Family鈥檚 COVID Infections
Richard Costigan, a well-respected fixture in state Capitol circles, has detailed his family鈥檚 ongoing experiences with COVID-19 on social media after catching the virus 鈥 he surmises 鈥 at a backyard gathering. The former Schwarzenegger aide wants people to know this virus doesn鈥檛 care who you are.
Medi-Cal Agency鈥檚 New Head Wants to Tackle Disparities and Racism
Will Lightbourne, the new director of the California Department of Health Care Services, says government must address the racial disparities laid bare by COVID-19 and improve care for the state鈥檚 most vulnerable residents.
Amid Surge, Hospitals Hesitate To Cancel Nonemergency Surgeries
Unlike earlier in the year, most hospitals are not proactively canceling elective surgeries, even in some places seeing spikes in coronavirus patients.
California Lawmakers Block Health Care Cuts
State legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom have hammered out an agreement on a budget that rejects Newsom鈥檚 proposed cuts to health care services for older and low-income people.
Por qu茅 los recortes en salud perjudican siempre a los californianos m谩s vulnerables
En California, donde casi 2,9 millones de personas han solicitado el desempleo en los 煤ltimos dos meses, Newsom describi贸 los recortes propuestos como “prudentes” y “estrat茅gicos”.
鈥榃hy Do We Always Get Hit First?鈥 Proposed Budget Cuts Target Vulnerable Californians
Safety-net health care programs that keep low-income Californians out of nursing homes are on the chopping block as Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers attempt to plug a massive budget deficit caused by the COVID-19 emergency.
Another Coronavirus Casualty: California鈥檚 Budget
Before the coronavirus hit, California was looking at a budget surplus of more than $5 billion and lawmakers were debating how to increase the size of government health programs. Now, the state faces a deficit, program cuts, high unemployment 鈥 and no significant investment in public health funding at a time when the state needs it the most.
As Lawmakers Reconvene, Not Everyone Agrees On COVID-Only Agenda
California legislators resume their work Monday after more than a month off. While the coronavirus pandemic has shifted the state鈥檚 priorities, many lawmakers say they still intend to push non-COVID health care bills to tax soda, ban vape flavors and more.
Lawmaker Pushing Mental Health Reform: It鈥檚 鈥楳ore Needed Than Ever鈥
Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked lawmakers to pare down their legislative wish lists and focus on the state鈥檚 coronavirus response. But state Sen. Jim Beall plans to forge ahead with his mental health care proposals, including a measure to create a state mental health parity requirement.
California Lawmakers Struggle To Conduct Business Amid COVID-19 Lockdown
In an interview with California Healthline, the state鈥檚 Senate leader, Toni Atkins, makes clear that with social-distancing measures in force it will be difficult to debate and pass complicated budget measures 鈥 but public health, education and public safety will be priorities.
Surge In Enrollment As Californians Avoid Penalty, Receive State Aid
Although a new state tax penalty and state financial aid motivated people to sign up for health insurance this year, Covered California is reopening enrollment for those who said they weren鈥檛 aware of them.
California Gov. Newsom Proposes Penalty To Fund Health Insurance Subsidies
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to help an estimated 850,000 Californians pay their health insurance premiums and would fund his plan with a tax penalty on people who don鈥檛 have coverage. If he succeeds, California would be the first state to subsidize middle-income people who make too much to qualify for federal financial aid.
Newsom Changes Course On Plan To Pay For Immigrant Health Coverage
California鈥檚 governor Friday scuttled his plan to siphon public health money from four counties to help provide health coverage for unauthorized immigrants ages 19 through 25.
Newsom cambia de idea sobre plan para pagar por cobertura de salud a inmigrantes
La administraci贸n de Newsom escuch贸 los reclamos de cuatro condados y decidi贸 cambiar el curso. Usar谩 dinero de las arcas estatales para cubrir a esta poblaci贸n, de aprobarse su presupuesto.
A Plan To Cover Immigrants Would Divert Public Health Dollars
California Gov. Gavin Newsom鈥檚 proposal to provide health coverage to unauthorized immigrants ages 19 to 25 would siphon money that four counties currently use for public health efforts such as battling contagious diseases.
Newsom: California Leads On Prescription Drugs
California Gov. Gavin Newsom claims that his state is 鈥渓eading the nation in holding drug companies accountable and fighting prescription drug prices.鈥 Is that really the case?
Big Soda Pours Big Bucks Into California鈥檚 Capitol
The soda industry spent $11.8 million to influence policy statewide in 2017 and 2018. As politicians once again consider bills that would tax and label sugary drinks, more big money is expected to flow.
