AB 948 (Berman) Keeping Prescription Drugs Affordable
AB 236 (Holden) Ensuring Accurate Health Plan Provider Directories
Every health plan in California is required to maintain an updated list of in-network health care providers to their enrollees. These include doctors, mental health professionals, hospitals, labs, imaging centers, and more. When consumers go to search for a new doctor or mental health specialist, they must be able to rely on these “provider directories” […]
Governor Newsom’s 2023-24 Ca Budget Proposal Keeps Key Medi-Cal Commitments, But Claws Back Money For Health Affordability Assistance
The proposed 2023-2024 state budget by Governor Gavin Newsom continues key commitments to improve and expand health care, including removing barriers in Medi-Cal for all income-eligible Californians regardless of immigration status by January 2024, as well as some new efforts on housing supports and reproductive health. As Californians face rising cost-of-living pressures, and higher health […]
2022 in Review
Major Health Care Consumer Wins this CA Legislative 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.
Governor Newsom Signs Key Bills to Keep Californians Covered
Governor Newsom has signed a series of bills that will help keep Californians get on and stay on health coverage, connecting them to their health plan options.
Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Raise Fines on Health Plans for Patient Protection Violations
Governor Newsom today signed SB 858 (Wiener) which will increase the level of fines for health plans who violate patient protections and modernizes outdated standards.
Deductibles to Spike as Governor Vetoes Legislation to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs in Covered California
Hundreds of thousands of Californians with Covered California health plans will likely see their co-pays go up and deductibles rise by over one thousand dollars next year, as a result of Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto yesterday of SB 944 by Senator Pan. That bill sought to lower cost-sharing in Covered California, including eliminating deductibles in silver plans.
CA Legislature Passes Bills to Better Connect Californians to Health Coverage
The California Legislature has recently passed a number of bills that will help keep Californians covered and better connect them to their care options.
CA Legislature Sends Bill to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs in Covered California to Governor’s Desk
Hundreds of thousands of Californians with Covered California health plans could see their deductibles eliminated and co-pays substantially reduced next year, thanks to current subsidies and pending actions.
Bill to Raise Fines on Health Plans Heads to Governor’s Desk
Today the Legislature approved passage of SB 858 by Senator Scott Wiener which updates penalty amounts that the state can levy on health plans that don’t meet state consumer protection standards. It now goes to Governor Newsom for final signature.
Tens of Thousands of Young Adult Californians Will Keep Health Coverage Under New DHCS Action
Health, community, and immigrant rights advocates applaud the action taken today by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to prevent tens of thousands of Californians from being dropped from Medi-Cal coverage.
Covered CA Affordability Sign On
President Biden Signs Historic Health Bill for Lower Premiums and Prescription Drug Prices
President Biden today signed the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant advancement in addressing health care costs since the Affordable Care Act. The law will lower prescription drug prices by allowing the government to negotiate prices, while also capping out-of-pocket and insulin costs in Medicare. It also prevents pricey premium spikes for 1.5 million enrollees in Covered California.
AB 2080 & AB 1130
SB 967 (Hertzberg) Access to Care
SB 644
AB 1878 & SB 944 CoveredCA Affordability
SB 858 (Wiener)
Congress Votes to Pass Historic Health Bill that will Lower Premiums and Prescription Drug Costs for Californians
42 California Congressmembers voted with health care consumers in support of the Inflation Reduction Act. 11 voted against the bill and their California constituents, and with PHRMA and for higher health costs.