California Attorney General Sues Drugmakers Over Inflated Insulin Prices
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking three major drugmakers and three distributors to court, alleging the companies illegally raised prices at the expense of diabetes patients.
Fiscal general de California demanda a farmac茅uticas por 鈥渋nflar鈥 los precios de la insulina
En la demanda, Rob Bonta argument贸 que los precios se han disparado y que algunos pacientes se han visto obligados a racionar sus medicamentos o renunciar por completo a comprar insulina.
The Official Who Investigates Suspicious Deaths in Your Town May Be a Doctor 鈥 Or Not
Across the country, there are no consistent requirements for the officials who investigate suspicious and unexpected deaths. Some have no medical training, others are doctors trained in forensic pathology. Washington, California, Illinois, and Georgia are among the states that have recently attempted to make changes 鈥 with mixed success.
Centene Showers Politicians With Millions as It Courts Contracts and Settles Overbilling Allegations
Centene, the largest Medicaid managed-care company in the U.S., has thrown more than $26.9 million at political campaigns across the country since 2015, especially focused on states where it is wooing Medicaid contracts and settling accusations that it overbilled taxpayers. Among its tactics: Centene is skirting contribution limits by giving to candidates through its many subsidiaries.
Centene Agrees to Pay Massachusetts $14 Million Over Medicaid Prescription Claims
Massachusetts is the latest state to settle with St. Louis-based Centene Corp. over allegations that it overcharged Medicaid prescription drug programs.
Centene to Pay $166 Million to Texas in Medicaid Drug Pricing Settlement
Texas is at least the 12th state to settle with St. Louis-based Centene Corp. over allegations that it overcharged Medicaid prescription drug programs.
Experts Question the Role of White Mulberry in the Death of Congressman鈥檚 Wife
The Sacramento County coroner concluded that Lori McClintock, the wife of U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock, died of dehydration after ingesting white mulberry leaf. But some scientists, doctors, and pathologists are questioning that ruling, and are urging the coroner鈥檚 office, which hasn鈥檛 explained its reasoning, to reopen the case.
Expertos cuestionan el rol de la morera blanca en la muerte de la esposa del congresista
Es una planta que se ha utilizado como remedio herbal durante siglos, y que el bot谩nico consultor del forense llam贸 鈥渘o t贸xica鈥 en una carta a su oficina.
Congressman鈥檚 Wife Died After Taking Herbal Remedy Marketed for Diabetes and Weight Loss
Lori McClintock, the wife of U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock of California, died after ingesting white mulberry leaf, according to the Sacramento County coroner. The plant is generally considered safe and is used in herbal remedies that claim to lower blood sugar, boost weight loss, and combat high cholesterol. Her death highlights the potential dangers of dietary supplements.
Esposa de congresista muere luego de tomar hierba medicinal para la diabetes y p茅rdida de peso
La morera blanca, originaria de China se considera una hierba segura y se ha usado por siglos en la medicina no tradicional.
Lawmaker Takes on Insurance Companies and Gets Personal About His Health
State Sen. Scott Wiener opens up about a weeklong stint in the hospital last year and what it鈥檚 like to live with Crohn鈥檚 disease. The San Francisco Democrat is pushing a bill that would require insurance companies to cover certain medications while patients appeal denials.
After the Pandemic Hit Nursing Homes Hard, California Lawmakers Push to Tighten Licensing Rules
Legislators are proposing an overhaul of California鈥檚 licensing system for nursing homes that would make it the most stringent in the country. They argue that disreputable and unlicensed owners and operators have harmed residents. The industry describes the proposed requirements as excessive.
California Handed Its Medicaid Drug Program to One Company. Then Came a Corporate Takeover.
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 Governor’s Big Promises on Drug Prices Are Slow to Materialize
Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched several initiatives to cut rising drug prices, but the savings haven鈥檛 been as monumental as he promised. And his plan to have California make its own generic drugs hasn鈥檛 gotten off the ground.
Changes to Medi-Cal鈥檚 Troubled Drug Program Reduce Backlog in California, but Problems Persist
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.
鈥楽omebody Is Gonna Die鈥: Medi-Cal Patients Struggle to Fill Prescriptions
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.
California Inks Sweetheart Deal With Kaiser Permanente, Jeopardizing Medicaid Reforms
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.
Clinics Say State鈥檚 New Medicaid Drug Program Will Force Them to Cut Services
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.
California Ballot Will Be Heavy on Health Care
In the Nov. 8 general election, California voters will consider overturning the state鈥檚 flavored tobacco ban and hiking medical malpractice awards. Other proposals to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, target dialysis clinics and boost public health funding could also be on the ballot, along with a plan to limit business and school closures during public health emergencies.
After 鈥楾ruly Appalling鈥 Death Toll in Nursing Homes, California Rethinks Their Funding
California wants to hold nursing homes accountable for the quality of care they provide by tying Medicaid funding more directly to performance. But the nursing home industry, an influential player in the Capitol, is gearing up for a fight.
