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Showing 21-40 of 186 results for "Bernard J. Wolfson"

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A woman wearing a green sweater stands at a podium and points into the audience.

To Patients, Parents, and Caregivers, Proposed Medicaid Cuts Are a Personal Affront

By Bernard J. Wolfson March 6, 2025 KFF Health News Original

At a town hall in Orange County, California, angry residents said Congress should keep its hands off Medicaid. The cuts contemplated in a House budget blueprint would bore a giant hole in California’s version of the safety net health insurance program, Medi-Cal, which covers nearly 15 million residents.

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A woman wearing a green sweater stands at a podium and points into the audience.

Para pacientes, padres y cuidadores, los recortes a Medicaid son una afrenta personal

By Bernard J. Wolfson March 6, 2025 KFF Health News Original

La primera semana de marzo, la Cámara de Representantes aprobó un plan presupuestario republicano que podría reducir el gasto de Medicaid en $880.000 millones a lo largo de 10 años.

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A photo of a Kaiser Permanente medical facility.

Kaiser Permanente Back in the Hot Seat Over Mental Health Care, but It’s Not Only a KP Issue

By Bernard J. Wolfson February 11, 2025 KFF Health News Original

Mental health workers on strike in Southern California say Kaiser Permanente is woefully understaffed, its therapists are burned out, and patients are often denied timely access to care. The insurer says it has largely fixed the problem. But across California and the nation, mental health parity is still not a reality.

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A photo of a man working on a laptop indoors.

Recovery From Addiction Is a Journey. There’s No One-and-Done Solution.

By Bernard J. Wolfson June 6, 2023 KFF Health News Original

Drug use has become a major public health crisis, but effective treatment remains hard to find. It does exist though. Columnist Bernard J. Wolfson offers advice on finding help and says not to expect a quick solution.

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Jian Zhang stands beside a large, vertical sign that says, "Chinese Hospital Cancer Center"

In San Francisco’s Chinatown, a CEO Works With the Community To Bolster Hospital

By Bernard J. Wolfson April 19, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Jian Zhang, an immigrant from China with a doctorate in nursing, leads the 88-bed Chinese Hospital in San Francisco. The facility faces financial constraints like other independent hospitals, but its strong community support and partnerships have helped it weather tough times.

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A photo of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer holding a news conference.

Por qué demócratas presentan el cierre del gobierno como una batalla por la atención médica

By Amanda Seitz October 6, 2025 KFF Health News Original

Los demócratas ven este momento político como una oportunidad para hablar sobre la necesidad de que la atención médica sea accesible.

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A cluster of mushrooms grow from soil as mist swirls around them.

First Responders, Veterans Hail Benefits of Psychedelic Drugs as California Debates Legalization

By Bernard J. Wolfson May 13, 2024 KFF Health News Original

California lawmakers have modified a psychedelic drug bill that was vetoed last year, narrowing it to allow only supervised use of psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, and other hallucinogens rather than decriminalize more broadly. The current bill would establish new state agencies to regulate the program.

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An older man in a suit stands in front of a large window with a view of skyscraper buildings

Longtime Head of L.A. Care To Retire After Navigating Major Medi-Cal Changes

By Bernard J. Wolfson September 11, 2024 KFF Health News Original

John Baackes, who steered Medi-Cal’s largest health plan following the Affordable Care Act expansion, and later prepared it for a state overhaul of Medi-Cal, will retire after this year. Baackes believes low payments to doctors and other providers, along with an acute labor shortage, hamper Medi-Cal’s success.

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A photo of Rob Bonta speaking in front of a Californian flag.

California Bill Would Require State Review of Private Equity Deals in Health Care

By Bernard J. Wolfson August 13, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Proposed legislation would require the state attorney general’s consent for a wide range of private equity acquisitions in health care. The hospital lobby negotiated an exemption for for-profit hospitals.

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A photo of Gavin Newsom speaking.

California Leaders Tussle With Health Industry Over Billions of New Dollars for Medi-Cal

By Bernard J. Wolfson June 20, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to pull funds earmarked for new investment in Medi-Cal to help plug California’s $45 billion deficit. A state budget passed June 13 by the legislature largely endorsed Newsom’s plan. Voters could settle the matter in an industry-backed initiative that has qualified for the November ballot.

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California Dabbles With Reining in Health Spending

By Bernard J. Wolfson June 12, 2024 KFF Health News Original

California is now among the states trying to keep health-care costs down by setting spending caps — a task that pits public officials against a deeply entrenched and heavily lawyered set of players. It’s uncertain whether the state can get insurers, hospitals and medical groups to collaborate on containing costs even as they jockey for […]

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A stethoscope rests on top of a pile of U.S. dollar bills and finance report papers.

California Becomes Latest State To Try Capping Health Care Spending

By Bernard J. Wolfson June 5, 2024 KFF Health News Original

California is the ninth state to set annual health spending targets for the industry. Already hospitals and doctors are voicing resistance to the fledgling Office of Health Care Affordability, even as they avoid overtly opposing its goals.

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An up close photograph of the hands of a senior woman putting money into a coin purse.

New Eligibility Rules Are a Financial Salve for Nearly 2 Million on Medi-Cal

By Bernard J. Wolfson February 15, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Nearly 2 million Medi-Cal enrollees, mainly people who are aged, disabled, or in long-term care, can now accumulate savings and property without limitations and still qualify for the state’s health insurance program for low-income residents. They join an additional roughly 12 million enrollees who already had no asset limits.

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The Psychedelics-As-Medicine Movement Spreads to California

By Bernard J. Wolfson May 15, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Ecstasy, “magic mushrooms” and other psychedelic drugs could soon be recognized as therapeutic in California — one of the latest states, and the biggest, to consider allowing their use as medicine. Legislation by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) and Assembly member Marie Waldron (R) would allow the therapeutic use of psilocybin, mescaline, ecstasy and dimethyltryptamine […]

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A digital illustration of a man where most of the head is drawn as a charcoal sketch, but the eyes and middle portion of the head is a realistic style illustration.

When You Think About Your Health, Don’t Forget Your Eyes

By Bernard J. Wolfson September 22, 2023 KFF Health News Original

Americans think losing their eyesight would be one of the worst possible health outcomes, yet millions lack a fundamental understanding of eye health.

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A photo of a doctor speaking to a colleague at the front desk of a doctor's office.

California’s Primary Care Shortage Persists Despite Ambitious Moves To Close Gap

By Bernard J. Wolfson and Vanessa G. Sánchez May 1, 2025 KFF Health News Original

The state has in recent years embraced several initiatives recommended in an influential health care workforce report, including alternative payment arrangements for primary care doctors to earn more. Despite increasing residency programs, student debt forgiveness, and tuition-free medical school, California is unlikely to meet patient demand, observers say.

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An up close photograph of the hands of a senior woman putting money into a coin purse.

Nuevas normas de elegibilidad son un alivio financiero para casi 2 millones de personas en Medi-Cal

By Bernard J. Wolfson February 15, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Este grupo se equiparará a los aproximadamente 12 millones de otros beneficiarios que no tienen límites de activos.

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What the Health? From KFF Health News: Happy Open Enrollment Eve!

October 30, 2025 Podcast

A standoff in Congress is keeping much of the government shut down as open enrollment begins in most states for Affordable Care Act plans. Democrats are demanding Republicans agree to extend ACA tax credits, but there has been little negotiating — even as customers are learning what they’ll pay for coverage next year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is telling states they can’t pass their own laws to keep medical debt off consumers’ credit reports. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Maya Goldman of Axios, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.

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A health care worker is. sitting with their head in their hands.

Los médicos son tan vulnerables a la adicción como cualquier persona

By Bernard J. Wolfson January 4, 2024 KFF Health News Original

El alcohol es una droga muy común entre los médicos, pero su fácil acceso a los analgésicos es también un riesgo particular.

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A health care worker is. sitting with their head in their hands.

Doctors Are as Vulnerable to Addiction as Anyone. California Grapples With a Response.

By Bernard J. Wolfson January 4, 2024 KFF Health News Original

The Medical Board of California, which licenses MDs, is developing a program to evaluate, treat, and monitor doctors with alcohol and drug problems. But there is sharp disagreement over whether those who might volunteer for the program should be subject to public disclosure and over how much participants should pay.

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