Category: Insurers

Access, Affordability, Budget, Care4AllCA, Cost Containment, Covered California, DMHC, Equity, Expanding Coverage, Health Reform, Health4All, Insurers, LGBT, Medi-Cal, Prescription Drugs, Quality, Timely Access, Undocumented, Uninsured

Major Health Care Consumer Wins this #CALeg and #CABudget Session

With the Governor’s final actions on bills last week, health consumer advocates applauded a major year in health reform, where California continued its leadership on health care access, affordability, and equity. Californians will see both short and long-term benefits from the bills and budget items adopted by Governor Newsom and the state legislature this year […]

Affordability, Affordable Care Act, Care4AllCA, Consumer Protection, COVID-19, Economy, Equity, Expanding Coverage, Federal, Gov. Brown, Health Reform, Health4All, Insurers, Legislation, Medi-Cal, Research, Single Payer, Uncategorized, Undocumented

2021-22 CA Budget Takes Major Steps to a More Universal & Equitable Health Care System

The State Legislature passed the final 2021-2022 health budget bill (AB 133) that includes historic investments in expanding and improving health coverage for millions of Californians. It now goes to Governor Newsom for his final signature in the coming days. Many of the proposals included in this budget bill were key priorities of the Care4All California coalition of over […]

Insurers, Mergers, Prescription Drugs, Transparency, Undocumented

Legislative Priorities Clear Deadlines

As the April 22 policy deadline approached, all of Health Access’ priority bills made it over the finish line. Last week, the legislative committees voted on two important bills that will increase transparency in our health care system. Transparency for Prescription Drug Costs Prescription drugs are the health service most commonly used by consumers and […]

Insurers, Mergers, Prevention, Quality

Wonkery for Your Week

We wanted to spotlight two of the recent Health Wonk Reviews, a biweekly compendium of the best from the health policy blogosphere. Last week, Charles Gaba at ACAsignups.net (the best place to track Obamacare enrollment nationally) had a very California-heavy edition, with posts about Covered California’s quality initiatives, our death-with-dignity law, and our post about […]

Insurers, Mergers, Network Adequacy, Quality, Timely Access

Anthem Blue Cross-Cigna’s Troubling Track Records Spotlighted at DMHC Public Meeting

On March, 4, 2016, the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) held a public meeting on the proposed takeover of Cigna by Anthem Blue Cross. The public meeting was requested by consumer groups including Health Access, Consumers Union, and others to raise questions about the structure of the deal, its potential impact on California’s patients […]