Latest Morning Briefing Stories
¿Es posible lograr un seguro de salud universal para todos?
Mientras los líderes republicanos se vuelven a organizar para reconsiderar sus planes de “derogar y reemplazar” el Obamacare, los defensores de la cobertura de salud universal avanzan con nuevos proyectos.
While Washington Fiddles, Calif. Leaders Forge Ideas For Universal Health Care
But it could take years to achieve coverage for everyone — if it happens at all.
¿Siente dolor? Muchos médicos dicen que los analgésicos no son la solución
Muchos médicos ya no recetan generosamente analgésicos opioides como la oxicodona o el fentanilo para el dolor de espalda o las migrañas. En cambio, recurren cada vez más a opciones no farmacológicas como la acupuntura y la fisioterapia.
The Next Obamacare Battleground: Subsidies For Out-Of-Pocket Costs
Exchange enrollees and insurers fret over a lawsuit that could end federal help with copays and deductibles.
La próxima batalla del Obamacare: subsidios para gastos de bolsillo
Los subsidios que ayudan a las personas con sus copagos y deducibles, distintos a los créditos impositivos para pagar las primas, están en medio de una batalla legal luego de una demanda republicana.
California Doctors Again Press For More Money To Treat Poor Patients
They want the state’s new tobacco tax to help pay for a raise in Medicaid rates, but so far Gov. Jerry Brown has other plans for that money.
In Deep-Blue State, Millions in Reddish Heartland Are Counting On Medicaid
The prospect of cutbacks has led to agitation and activism in California’s largely agricultural Central Valley, with relatively high poverty rates and a significant number of Trump voters.
GOP Bill’s Unheralded Changes In Rules Could Undermine Health Of Neediest
Lesser-known provisions in the Republican proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act would push some Medicaid enrollees out of coverage and cause financial pain for others.
Many Californians Could Be Priced Out Of Exchange Coverage, Analysis Finds
California’s health insurance exchange released an analysis showing that Republicans’ plan to trim subsidies, on average, by 40% would fall hard on elderly and very low-income people, especially in expensive areas like San Francisco.
Proposed Law Would Require All California Children To Be Screened For Lead
Under the current statute, kids are tested for lead only if they’re on certain government programs or live in older buildings. That leaves many other California children at risk, lawmaker says.
HMO Doctors Take Pains To Slash Opioid Prescriptions
A Kaiser Permanente pain management program in Southern California aims to help patients taper off addictive painkillers. Some doctors and patients see it as a godsend; others complain that patients have been cut off medications they need.
GOP Health Plan Could Be Bitter Pill For California’s Obamacare Exchange
Critics say the proposed changes could poison one of the nation’s healthiest marketplaces, driving up premiums and drawing in only the sickest patients. Republicans and industry analysts call those concerns overblown.
To Save On Drug Costs, Insurer Wants To Steer You To ‘Preferred’ Pharmacies
Blue Shield of California is hoping to steer consumers to “preferred” pharmacies where drugs are cheaper and copays lower.
LA County Health Chief Wants To ‘Catch’ People Dropped From Coverage
Mitch Katz, director of the L.A. County Health Agency, says California must find ways to cover state residents who might lose their health coverage if Obamacare is repealed.
Are Virtual Doctor Visits Really Cost-Effective? Not So Much, Study Says
Rand Corp. finds that telehealth encourages patients to seek care for minor illnesses they wouldn’t bother to make an office visit for, raising overall health costs.
Cancer Rates Dropped During The Recession. That’s Not Necessarily A Good Thing.
Researchers believe Californians, many of whom lost health coverage, delayed doctor visits that could have led to earlier detection. Now, with people seeking medical care under the Affordable Care Act, some experts expect to see an increase in late-stage cancers.
Cuando los padres y el pediatra no hablan el mismo idioma
Un nuevo estudio en California revela que los padres latinos que sólo hablan español son menos propensos a reportar buenas experiencias con los médicos de sus hijos que los que hablan inglés.
Lost In Translation: When Parents And Pediatricians Don’t Speak The Same Language
Latino parents who speak only Spanish are less likely to report having satisfactory experiences with their children’s doctors than Latino parents who speak English, a new California study shows.
¿Pagar o no pagar? Qué hacer con la multa por no tener seguro de salud
La promesa de los republicanos de revocar y reemplazar la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible ha generado confusión entre los consumidores: al hacer la declaración de impuestos, ¿hay que pagar o no la multa si no se tuvo seguro en 2016?
To Pay Or Not To Pay – That Is The Question
With the future of Obamacare up in the air, many consumers are wondering if they must comply with the tax requirements related to the law, including whether to pay the penalty for being uninsured.
