Latest News On California Legislature

Latest KFF Health News Stories

California Senate’s New Health Chair to Prioritize Mental Health and Homelessness

KFF Health News Original

California state Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman of Stockton has been appointed chair of the Senate’s influential health committee. A licensed social worker, Eggman said she will make mental health care and homelessness front-burner issues.

Opponents of California’s Abortion Rights Measure Mislead on Expense to Taxpayers

KFF Health News Original

California Together, which opposes Proposition 1, warns that taxpayers will pay millions more if the abortion rights constitutional amendment passes because it would attract women from out of state. We take a closer look.

‘He Stood His Ground’: California State Senator Will Leave Office as Champion of Tough Vaccine Laws

KFF Health News Original

California state Sen. Richard Pan, who spearheaded some of the country’s most ambitious vaccine mandate legislation, is leaving office this year because of term limits. A pediatrician, he plans to practice medicine full time but has not ruled out a future run for office.

Citing a Mental Health Crisis Among Young People, California Lawmakers Target Social Media

KFF Health News Original

Legislators are considering two bills that address online addiction among children by taking aim at website features such as push notifications and targeted posts. But Big Tech is fighting the effort, saying companies are already taking steps to protect children.

Lawmaker Takes on Insurance Companies and Gets Personal About His Health

KFF Health News Original

State Sen. Scott Wiener opens up about a weeklong stint in the hospital last year and what it’s like to live with Crohn’s disease. The San Francisco Democrat is pushing a bill that would require insurance companies to cover certain medications while patients appeal denials.

Politics and Pandemic Fatigue Doom California’s Covid Vaccine Mandates

KFF Health News Original

Even in deep-blue California, Democratic lawmakers pulled their proposed covid vaccine requirements before they had a vote. The lawmakers blamed the ebbs and flows of the coronavirus, the public’s short attention span, and opposition from public safety unions.

After the Pandemic Hit Nursing Homes Hard, California Lawmakers Push to Tighten Licensing Rules

KFF Health News Original

Legislators are proposing an overhaul of California’s licensing system for nursing homes that would make it the most stringent in the country. They argue that disreputable and unlicensed owners and operators have harmed residents. The industry describes the proposed requirements as excessive.

California Handed Its Medicaid Drug Program to One Company. Then Came a Corporate Takeover.

KFF Health News Original

The company awarded the state’s Medi-Cal Rx contract was taken over by another company, Centene. That left the state with a contractor it didn’t pick — one that has been accused of overbilling nine other state Medicaid programs and is now under investigation by California.

Changes to Medi-Cal’s Troubled Drug Program Reduce Backlog in California, but Problems Persist

KFF Health News Original

After a troubled start to the new Medi-Cal prescription drug program, the state’s contractor has hired staffers to reduce wait times for medication approvals and patients seeking help. But some doctors and clinics report that patients continue to face delays.

Clinics Say State’s New Medicaid Drug Program Will Force Them to Cut Services

KFF Health News Original

On Jan. 1, California started buying prescription drugs for its nearly 14 million Medicaid enrollees, a responsibility that had primarily been held by managed-care insurance plans. State officials estimate California will save hundreds of millions of dollars by flexing its purchasing power, but some health clinics expect to lose money.

After ‘Truly Appalling’ Death Toll in Nursing Homes, California Rethinks Their Funding

KFF Health News Original

California wants to hold nursing homes accountable for the quality of care they provide by tying Medicaid funding more directly to performance. But the nursing home industry, an influential player in the Capitol, is gearing up for a fight.

Tu gasto de bolsillo en atención médica no debe ser un misterio

KFF Health News Original

Una ley de California firmada por el gobernador Gavin Newsom en octubre puede ayudar a clasificar una maraña de facturas médicas para entender qué cubre el plan de salud y cuándo comenzará la cobertura.

California Law Aims to Strengthen Access to Mental Health Services

KFF Health News Original

The law doesn’t take effect until July, but its passage should force insurers to expand their rosters of therapists. Here’s how you can challenge your health plan’s mental health services until then.

Q&A: How Will California’s New 988 Mental Health Line Actually Work?

KFF Health News Original

California Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored legislation to create and fund the state’s new 988 phone line for mental health emergencies, spoke with KHN about the effort and what more will be needed to create a full-fledged response network for people experiencing mental health crises.

Democrats Say Abortion Is on the Line in Recall Election. But Rolling Back Rights Wouldn’t Be Easy.

KFF Health News Original

Reproductive rights groups and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom argue that Californians’ access to abortion would be threatened if he is recalled. But a replacement governor’s power to restrict access to the procedure would be limited.