California

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Eli Lilly Slashed Insulin Prices. This Starts a Race to the Bottom.

KFF Health News Original

Eli Lilly’s news that it plans to cut insulin costs for patients will help, not hinder, the recent efforts in California and by entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban to offer lower-cost alternatives, drug pricing experts said.

California’s Massive Medicaid Program Works for Some, but Fails Many Others

KFF Health News Original

Medi-Cal serves more than one-third of the state’s population — offering a dizzying range of care to a diverse population. In the new “Faces of Medi-Cal” series, California Healthline will assess the program’s strengths and weaknesses through the lives and experiences of its enrollees.

Judge to Fine California Each Day It Fails to Complete Prisoner Suicide Prevention Measures

KFF Health News Original

More than 200 inmates killed themselves during eight years in which state prison officials failed to complete court-ordered suicide prevention safeguards. Inmates, the judge writes, have “waited far too long” for adequate mental health care.

Community Workers Fan Out to Persuade Immigrant Seniors to Get Covered

KFF Health News Original

California has enrolled into Medi-Cal more than 300,000 older immigrant adults lacking legal residency since May, but the state doesn’t know how many more might be eligible. Community workers are now searching for them.

California Explores Private Insurance for Immigrants Lacking Legal Status. But Is It Affordable?

KFF Health News Original

Nearly half a million Californians without legal residency make too much to qualify for Medicaid yet they can’t afford to buy coverage. A state lawmaker is proposing to open up the state’s health insurance exchange as a first step to providing them affordable insurance.

California Dangles Bonuses for Nursing Homes That Add Staff

KFF Health News Original

Rather than simply reward top-performing facilities, the state’s Medicaid program will hand bonuses to nursing homes — even low-rated ones — for hiring more workers and reducing staff turnover.

California Requires Hospitals to Turn to a Patient’s Next of Kin, Closing a Longtime Loophole

KFF Health News Original

A state law establishes a list of representatives who can make medical decisions for patients unable to convey their wishes. California is late to making the change; 45 other states and the District of Columbia already have next-of-kin laws.

In California, Democrats Propose $25 Minimum Wage for Health Workers

KFF Health News Original

State Sen. María Elena Durazo and Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West want to give health facility support staffers a raise. Hospitals, nursing homes, and dialysis clinics are expected to resist.

‘The Country Is Watching’: California Homeless Crisis Looms as Gov. Newsom Eyes Political Future

KFF Health News Original

As Gov. Gavin Newsom enters his second term, his legacy as governor and path forward in the Democratic Party hinge on his making visible headway on California’s homeless crisis. We lay out the possibilities — and challenges — as he unleashes an $18 billion battle plan.

California’s Resolve Questioned After It Grants Medi-Cal Contract Concessions

KFF Health News Original

After the Department of Health Care Services canceled Medi-Cal contract awards under pressure from major insurers, some consumer advocates question the administration’s willpower to improve care in the safety-net program.

More Californians Are Dying at Home. Another Covid ‘New Normal’?

KFF Health News Original

The proportion of Californians dying at home, rather than in a hospital or nursing home, accelerated during the pandemic, a trend that has outlasted the rigid lockdowns linked to the initial shift.

Adolescentes latinos se entrenan para educar sobre las vacunas contra covid

KFF Health News Original

Organizaciones comunitarias de salud en California y en todo el país forman a adolescentes, muchos de ellos latinos, para que actúen como educadores de la salud en la escuela, en las redes sociales y en las comunidades donde persiste el miedo a la vacuna contra covid.