Covered California announced today that 2020 individual insurance premiums will see a minimal average rate increase of less than one percent. The announcement also highlights the expected increase in health insurance enrollment of over 225,000 Californians due to the new financial help that was included in the 2019-2020 state budget negotiated last month. These minimal […] Read More
#CABudget Votes This Week Include Major Health Investments and Expansions
June 25, 2019This week, the Assembly and Senate are poised to pass key health expansions as part of the overall 2019-20 Budget. The votes taken today and this week will advance health care reforms that were negotiated by the Governor and legislative leaders. Governor Newsom has until July 1 to sign the budget, which will make official […] Read More
New #CABudget Deal To Help Hundreds of Thousands with Health Coverage
June 10, 2019Last night, the California Budget Conference Committee voted on a budget proposal that reflected a deal between the Governor and Legislature, including investments in health services with additional steps to universal coverage. As a result of this budget, hundreds of thousands of Californians will get more help to access and afford health coverage, preventing premium […] Read More
Legislation Protecting Patients From Surprise Emergency Room Bills Passes CA State Assembly
May 30, 2019The California State Assembly passed AB 1611 by Assemblymember David Chiu and Senator Scott Wiener to end surprise emergency room bills on a 48-9 vote. AB 1611 is a key patient protection that would also lower the costs of health care for California consumers. The bill faced opposition from industry lobbyists who argued that the status quo […] Read More
Advocates Encourage Lawmakers to Make Budget Investments that Help the Most Californians
May 22, 2019Last week the Assembly voted on its proposed budget investments in health and human services, while the previous week, the Senate proposed to expand Medi-Cal and to help middle-income Californians better afford premiums in Covered California and the individual insurance market. Both build on Governor Newsom’s 2019-2020 May Revision that includes first-in-nation steps toward universal coverage. See […] Read More
State Senate Includes Greater Affordability Assistance in Budget
May 21, 2019Last week the Assembly has voted on its proposed budget investments in health and human services, while last week, the Senate proposed to expand Medi-Cal and to help middle-income Californians better afford premiums in Covered California and the individual insurance market. Both build on Governor Newsom’s 2019-2020 May Revision that includes first-in-nation steps toward universal coverage. After […] Read More
Pending CA Legislative Proposals Would Secure & Expand Coverage and Lower Premiums For Over 3.5 Million
May 20, 2019A new brief by the UC Berkeley Labor Center and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research is the first of its kind to model the health coverage impacts of pending legislation in the California State Legislature. The report finds that under the current legislative and budget proposals 1.7 million Californians would be enrolled in coverage instead of […] Read More
CA Legislature Advances Key Proposals to Expand Coverage and Save Consumers Millions
May 16, 2019Key legislation to make health care more affordable passed fiscal committees in the California Legislature, setting up high-stakes floor votes and budget negotiations in the next few weeks. The proposals would expand health coverage, increase affordability for hundreds of thousands of Californians, and reduce health care costs overall, and are all supported by the #Care4AllCA […] Read More
Newsom’s #CABudget May Revision Sets Up Further Health Care Negotiations with Legislature
May 9, 2019On Thursday, May 9th, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled the May Revision of his proposed 2019-2020 budget which continues to include first-in-nation steps toward universal coverage including enhanced affordability assistance in Covered California, continuing the ACA’s individual requirement for coverage at the state level, and general fund investment to expand Medi-Cal to low-income young adults up […] Read More
Legislation Protecting Patients From Surprise Emergency Room Bills Passes Assembly Health Committee
April 24, 2019The California State Assembly Health Committee yesterday passed AB 1611 by Assemblymember David Chiu and Senator Scott Wiener to end surprise emergency room bills on a 11-0 vote. After an emergency room visit, some California patients still receive a “balance bill” which is the difference between what the hospital charged for the service and what the […] Read More