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KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
A controversial proposal to grant HMO giant Kaiser Permanente a no-bid statewide Medicaid contract is headed for its first legislative hearing amid vocal opposition from a coalition of counties, competing health plans, community clinics, and a national health care labor union.
Michael Hunn left the clergy and became a hospital and health system executive. He鈥檚 been named CEO of CalOptima, Orange County鈥檚 Medi-Cal health insurance plan for low-income residents, and his spiritual background is helping him guide the publicly run plan into the future.
The company awarded the state鈥檚 Medi-Cal Rx contract was taken over by another company, Centene. That left the state with a contractor it didn鈥檛 pick 鈥 one that has been accused of overbilling nine other state Medicaid programs and is now under investigation by California.
California regulators issued record fines against L.A. Care, the state鈥檚 largest Medi-Cal managed-care plan, for providing inadequate care to its enrollees. But whether the penalties are a sign that the state will make a more forceful effort to improve Medi-Cal鈥檚 overall quality of care remains to be seen.
California was supposed to start paying doulas this year to help Medicaid enrollees have healthy pregnancies. But the benefit has been delayed because doulas feel lowballed by the state鈥檚 proposed reimbursement rate, which is below what most other states pay.
KHN senior correspondents Jenny Gold and Anna Maria Barry-Jester joined KVPR鈥檚 Kathleen Schock on 鈥淰alley Edition鈥 to discuss their investigation into the abrupt closure of one of California鈥檚 largest chain of pain clinics 鈥 and the patients left behind.
After a troubled start to the new Medi-Cal prescription drug program, the state鈥檚 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.
In May 2021, Lags Medical Centers, one of California鈥檚 largest chains of pain clinics, abruptly closed its doors amid a cloaked state investigation. Nine months later, patients are still in the dark about what happened with their care and to their bodies.
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
Problems with California鈥檚 new Medicaid prescription drug program are preventing thousands of patients from getting their medications, including some life-saving ones. State officials say they鈥檙e working on fixes.
The backroom deal with politically connected Kaiser Permanente, which infuriated other Medi-Cal health plans, allows the health care giant to continue selecting the enrollees it wants.
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.
Many of the 14 million patients in Medi-Cal are in managed care health plans that outsource their care to subcontractors or sub-subcontractors. For patients with difficult health care needs, it can be hard to know where to turn.
In January, California鈥檚 Medicaid program will begin offering nontraditional services 鈥攕uch as ridding homes of roaches, replacing mattresses and installing air purifiers 鈥 to some low-income asthma patients. But the rollout could be chaotic, with insurance companies struggling to identify groups that can deliver the services.
While other states dramatically restrict abortion and the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court weighs Roe v. Wade, California is preparing to absorb the country鈥檚 abortion patients.
The nine commercial insurers in Medi-Cal must reapply by submitting bids for new contracts. The state hopes the process will improve care for low-income residents and tighten accountability, something critics say has been missing.
A class action lawsuit seeks better care for immigrants with physical disabilities or mental illness who were detained after trying to enter the country. Other disabled immigrants without legal status are also finding it difficult to get care.
If Gov. Gavin Newsom survives Tuesday鈥檚 recall election, the health care unions that have campaigned on his behalf intend to pressure him to follow through on his promise to establish a government-run health system in California.
Those seeking to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom in Tuesday鈥檚 recall election disagree with him on more than mask and vaccine mandates. The conservative candidates tend to favor free-market solutions over Newsom鈥檚 expansion of publicly funded health coverage.
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