Major CA Bills to Increase Accountability in Our Health Care System Up In Committee This Week
California legislative committees are set to hear two health care bills this week that would increase accountability for health care consumers while preserving their access to care and preventing inflated health prices. SB 858 by Senator Scott Wiener, which will be heard today (Tuesday) in Senate Judiciary Committee, updates penalty amounts that the state can levy on health plans that don’t meet consumer protection standards. AB 2080 by Assemblymember Wood, which will be heard today (Tuesday) in Assembly Health Committee and on Thursday in Assembly Judiciary Committee, would provide needed oversight on for-profit hospital mergers to ensure they are in the best interest of the California public.
HEALTH ACCESS: CA DMHC Approves Centene-Magellan Merger With Conditions
For immediate release: Thursday, December 30, 2021 For more information, contact:Anthony Wright, executive director, Health Access California, 916-870-4782 (cell) MERGER WATCH: CALIFORNIA DMHC APPROVES CENTENE-MAGELLAN MERGER WITH CONDITIONS AND CONSUMER PROTECTIONS California’s Department of Managed Health Care today approved a “diagonal” merger between the health plan Centene and Magellan, with several conditions on protecting patients from premium hikes as a results of the merger, improving access to care, especially regarding […]
Twenty Takeaways from 2020
Protecting Our Progress and Confronting the Challenges of COVID-19 Like most Californians, we had high hopes for progress in 2020. The year began in earnest with the implementation of expanded access and affordability to coverage for hundreds of thousands of Californians, and ambitious plans to increase health industry oversight to control costs, improve quality and […]
SB 977, Major Bill to Address Health Care Consolidation and Costs in California, Heads to Final Floor Votes
Today, the California Assembly Appropriations Committee passed SB 977 which will ensure public oversight of health care systems that seek to merge and/or consolidate. This is especially important now due to the current pandemic and the financial struggles it has brought.
Key Bills Addressing Health Care Costs Up in CA Senate Health Committee Today
The California Senate Health Committee today will hear a number of key bills on public health, health care access, and on addressing high health care costs, particularly on prescription drug prices, and on hospital consolidation. This will be the only Senate Health Committee before the end of session, and the only opportunity to hear testimony on these important bills.
SB 977 (Monning) – Is Bigger Better? Consolidation and Anti-Competitive Behavior in Health Care
Judge Denies Delay on Sutter Health Settlement
Yesterday, a judge decided to deny the delay of Sutter Health’s $575 million settlement with California Attorney General Becerra regarding unfair competition in Northern California. Following is statement from Anthony Wright, Executive Director of Health Access California, the statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition.
Merger Watch Update: Dignity Health-Catholic Health Initiatives and CVS-Aetna
Consolidation in the health industry often means fewer choices and less competition, with little to no benefit for patients or the public. Health care companies should not be allowed to get bigger unless they get better. In California, the top five insurers already control over 90% of the market. Health Access closely monitors mergers and advocates […]
CVS-Aetna Merger Approved With Conditions, As California Seeks Stronger Oversight
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice approved the merger of CVS Health and Aetna, continuing the trend of “diagonal” mergers, and the further consolidation of mega-health care corporations. CVS, a major pharmacy chain and one of the nations largest independent pharmacy benefit managers (PBM), and Aetna, one of the nations largest insurers, consolidates the health […]