California’s health system includes statewide public coverage programs and special county-based programs: Medi-Cal, Healthy Kids/Healthy Families, and others created under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act.
A Short History of the Efforts to Extend Health Coverage for All Working Americans
| September 4, 2012 | Posted by Lucien Wulsin under Federal, Legislation/Policy, Public Coverage, Special Features, State |
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It’s Labor Day, and we should all take a moment to remember the long fight to establish health care for all working people. This effort began in Germany in the late 19th century led by trade unions and passed by the very conservative Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck. By the end… more
In Final Week of 2012 Session, California Legislature Passes ACA Implementation Legislation, Effort to Restore Healthy Families Fails
| September 3, 2012 | Posted by John Connolly under Blog, Insurance Exchange, Legislation Policy News, Legislation/Policy, Medi-Cal, Public Coverage, State |
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Last week was the final week of the 2012 legislative session, and the California Legislature passed several key pieces of health reform legislation. Many of the bills implement central elements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in California. Governor Brown will have the month of September to decide whether to… more
An Initial Report on Mandatory Enrollment of Medi-Cal’s Seniors and People with Disabilties into Managed Care
| August 31, 2012 | Posted by John Connolly under Blog, Delivery Systems, Legislation/Policy, Medi-Cal, Public Coverage, State |
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The California Healthcare Foundation (CHCF) recently released a report examining health plans’, providers’, and stakeholders’ experiences during Medi-Cal’s mandatory transition of seniors and people with disabilities to managed care as a part of California’s “Bridge to Reform” 1115 waiver. The managed care expansion primarily affected 240,000 beneficiaries in 16 counties… more
Mental Health and Substance Abuse in CA’s Public Health Programs
| August 30, 2012 | Posted by Lucien Wulsin under Legislation/Policy, Medi-Cal, Public Coverage, State |
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California has had a unique mixture of behavioral health silos[1] that are going to need to evolve under the Affordable Care Act. In this paper, we will try to summarize its current state, the needed evolution and the benefits to patients and their improved health outcomes. The full report is… more
DHCS Rural Managed Care Expansion Stakeholder Webinar
| August 29, 2012 | Posted by John Connolly under Blog, Delivery Systems, Legislation/Policy, Medi-Cal, Public Coverage, State |
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On August 28, 2012, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) held a stakeholder webinar about the Medi-Cal rural managed care expansion. The webinar began with a review of the request for application (RFA), and DHCS officials indicated that they are working to release the RFA in September. DHCS representatives… more
Final Week of 2012 California Legislative Session: Votes Scheduled on ACA Implementation Legislation; New Bills Arise to Halt Healthy Families Transition to Medi-Cal
| August 28, 2012 | Posted by John Connolly under Blog, Health Financing, Legislation Policy News, Legislation/Policy, Medi-Cal, Public Coverage, State, State Budget |
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This week, the California Legislature is scheduled to vote on key pieces of legislation that will implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in California. Bills under consideration would enact key health insurance market reforms, including prohibiting denials of coverage for preexisting conditions and establishing an essential health benefits package for… more
Affordable Care Act Provisions for Health Care Providers
| August 27, 2012 | Posted by John Connolly under Delivery Systems, Health Financing, Public Coverage |
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The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was the most consequential piece of health care legislation in decades and remains deeply controversial among the American public more than two years after becoming law. Even though some individuals have strongly held opinions about the law, much of the public still has a relatively… more
Basic Health Plan: Taking a Slow Deep Breath and Thinking of Alternatives
| August 23, 2012 | Posted by Lucien Wulsin under Insurance Exchange, Legislation/Policy, Medi-Cal, State |
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In the last few weeks, I have received many concerned inquiries about the Basic Health Plan (BHP). For lack of a better definition, a Basic Health Plan is a hybrid, – not Medi-Cal, not Medicare, not commercial insurance – an option for states to cover individuals with incomes between 133%… more
Health Care Reform in Massachusetts: Act II
| August 6, 2012 | Posted by John Connolly under Delivery Systems, Health Financing, Legislation/Policy, Public Coverage, State |
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Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed into law today an expansive range of health care cost-control measures. The new legislation comes six years after former Governor Mitt Romney, the current presumptive Republican presidential nominee, signed the state’s previous major health reform law, which greatly expanded insurance coverage. Many policymakers and stakeholders… more
Executive Summaries for the 2011 Regional Workgroups
| July 23, 2012 | Posted by Kiwon Yoo under Central Coast, Central Valley, Inland Empire, Legislation/Policy, Los Angeles, North Central, North Rural, Orange, Public Coverage, San Diego, Workgroups |
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Executive Summaries (2011 RWG Round 2) Executive Summaries (2011 RWG Round 1) Workgroup Materials (2011 RWG Round 2) Central Coast San Diego Orange County more
