Voters prioritized health issues, supported candidates that vow to protect our health care, and elected a Governor that campaigned on a plan to expand access to care On Tuesday, voters sent a clear, unambiguous message to their elected officials: protect our health care against the repeals and rollbacks attempted over the last two years, and […] Read More
Federal
New Data on the Price Tag of Orange County Congressmembers’ Votes on Health Care
August 29, 2018Over the last year, Congress has taken a number of votes that undermine the health care of Californians, and now the Senate is considering a new proposal that would put limits on those with pre-existing conditions. California made some of the greatest gains under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and had the most to lose […] Read More
New Federal Attacks on Our Health Care: Substandard AHP Coverage Rule and New Attempt to Repeal the ACA
June 20, 2018Fresh federal attacks on our health care were announced today with the Department of Labor’s final rule to expand Association Health Plans, and a renewed congressional attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Both actions seek to destabilize our health care marketplace and will lead to increases in premiums for health consumers and the […] Read More
Proposed Trump Budget Would Cut Health Care Well Beyond ACA Repeal
February 12, 2018On February 12, 2018 President Trump released his proposed federal budget for the next fiscal year, which would dramatically cut our nation’s health care system, and especially in California. The budget goes beyond ACA repeal in cutting and capping Medicaid, endorsing last year’s Graham-Cassidy proposal where California was disproportionally and intentionally singled out for harsher […] Read More
Tax Bill Would be a “Triple Hit” To Californians and Our Health Care
November 15, 2017California Congressmembers are expected to vote Thursday on a decidedly anti-California tax bill, which in order to provide a tax giveaway to corporations and the wealthy, would raise taxes for many middle-income families, and force future cuts to key health care programs and other core services. If passed, it would be merged with the Senate […] Read More
State of Resistance: California Working Overtime to Withstand Multiple Trump Attacks on our Health System
October 14, 2017
California policymakers, regulators, and advocates are being forced to take extraordinary steps to protect patients and our health system from sabotage by the Trump Administration. The latest and most shocking administrative attack was last night’s announcement that the White House is withholding funding for cost-sharing reductions (CSRs), payments which have already been budgeted and contracted […] Read More
Defunding Already-Budgeted CSRs Will Force Premium Spikes and Cause Confusion in Our Health Care Market
October 14, 2017President Trump’s move to stop payment on $7 billion in aid to low-income Americans to afford health care is deliberately destructive and destabilizing. These cost-sharing reductions (or CSRs) are funds that have already been allocated to help reduce co-pays and deductibles for low-income consumers. This decision will force insurers to spike premiums to reclaim these […] Read More
Trump Executive Order Undermines Insurance Markets, But California Can Take Steps to Protect Coverage & Affordability
October 13, 2017Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order that threatens to undermine insurance markets around the country. It directs federal agencies to craft rules allowing broader use of Association Health Plans and short-term health insurance, creating large loopholes in the Affordable Care Act’s requirements around minimum benefits and protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Consumer and health […] Read More
Rescinding DACA is a Health Care Catastrophe for California
September 5, 2017Immigrants are a critical part of our nation’s history and society, and our health system is stronger when everyone is included.
Challenges and Opportunities with Congress Back in Session
September 5, 2017Congress is back in session today. The good news is that there are bipartisan hearings scheduled, with testimony from a group of bipartisan Governors who last week released a series of recommendations for improving the ACA, including funding the cost-sharing reductions, reinsurance, fixing the family glitch, aggressive outreach and enrollment, and more. The bad news […] Read More