鈥楴ot Quite on Board鈥: Parents Proving a Tough Sell on Covid Vax for Teens
California offers a lens on the challenges officials face in persuading parents to embrace covid shots for young children. While the state has a strong showing in overall vaccination rates, just 59% of kids 12 to 17 鈥 eligible for a shot since May 鈥 are fully vaccinated.
Health Industry Wields Power in California鈥檚 High-Stakes Battle to Lower Health Care Costs
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to regulate out-of-control health care spending in California. The effort is being shaped by the very health industry players that would be regulated.
California Moves on Climate Change, but Rejects Aggressive Cuts to Greenhouse Emissions
Drought, wildfires, extreme heat: California lawmakers cast climate change as the culprit in an emerging series of public health threats, setting aside billions to help communities respond. But they stopped short of more aggressively reducing the state鈥檚 share of the greenhouse emissions warming the planet.
It鈥檚 Not Just Covid: Recall Candidates Represent Markedly Different Choices on Health Care
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.
Voters in Tight Recall Race Sound Off on California Gov. Newsom鈥檚 Covid Leadership
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom鈥檚 pandemic policies are effectively on California鈥檚 Sept. 14 recall ballot 鈥 and the electorate views them with a mix of resentment, gratitude and disillusionment.
Facing Recall, Newsom Draws Support From Health Care Allies
California Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a recall election in September, fueled in part by anger over his pandemic policies. The health care industry has ponied up more than $4.8 million so far to defend the first-term Democrat.
Olympic Dream Dashed After Bike Crash and Nightmare Medical Bill Over $200K
A bicyclist from California competed in a Pennsylvania race that could have landed him in this month鈥檚 Tokyo Olympics. Instead, a crash on the velodrome track landed him in two hospitals where his out-of-state, out-of-network surgeries garnered huge bills.
A Family Wellness Check: California Invests in Treating Parents and Children Together
The state will be the first to offer comprehensive counseling services to parents during pediatric visits as part of Medicaid.
Doctors鈥 Lobby Scores 鈥楳ajor Victory鈥 on Bill to Hold Physicians Accountable
Patients and some lawmakers have long blasted the Medical Board of California for failing to discipline negligent or abusive physicians. But the politically powerful California Medical Association, which represents doctors, has mobilized against the latest attempt to give the board more money and power to investigate complaints.
Confronting Our 鈥楩railties鈥: California鈥檚 Assembly Leader Reflects on a Year of Covid
California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon says covid exposed long-standing health care inequities that must be addressed. He told KHN he wants to get more people insured, boost broadband access so more patients can use telehealth and increase funding to local health departments.
Has agregado a tus hijos a tu plan de salud. 驴Y tu mam谩?
Un proyecto de ley en California exigir铆a que los planes de salud regulados por el estado cubran a los padres dependientes de los asegurados. Seg煤n activistas, la medida reducir铆a el n煤mero de personas sin seguro; pero grupos empresariales advierten sobre el aumento de las primas.
You鈥檝e Added Your Kids to Your Health Plan. What About Mom?
A bill in the California legislature would require state-regulated health plans to cover policyholders鈥 dependent parents. Advocates say the measure would reduce the number of uninsured people, while business groups warn of premium increases.
Otra victoria para la industria: fracasa proyecto de ley de impuestos a sodas
En los 煤ltimos cuatro a帽os, las empresas de refrescos gastaron alrededor de $5,9 millones presionando a legisladores de California y haciendo donaciones a sus campa帽as u organizaciones ben茅ficas favoritas.
Another Soda Tax Bill Dies. Another Win for Big Soda.
A bill that would have allowed California cities and counties to once again pursue taxes on sugary drinks was just shelved in the legislature without a hearing. Public health advocates blame the political 鈥 and financial 鈥 clout of the soft drink industry.
It鈥檚 Not Just QAnon. Democrats and Independents Also Want to Recall California鈥檚 Governor.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is painting the effort to remove him from office as a partisan power grab. But among the tens of thousands of Californians who signed the recall petition are Democrats and independent voters frustrated by his pandemic policies, from school closures to vaccine distribution.
Blue Shield Spent Years Cultivating a Relationship with Newsom. It Got the State Vaccine Contract.
Insurance giant Blue Shield of California has made millions in charitable and political donations to Gov. Gavin Newsom over nearly two decades, largely to his dearly held homeless initiatives. In turn, Newsom has rewarded the insurer with a $15 million no-bid contract to lead the state鈥檚 covid vaccination distribution.
California Aims to Address the 鈥楿rgent鈥 Needs of Older Residents. But Will Its Plan Work?
State officials recently unveiled a 鈥渕aster plan鈥 to address the needs of California鈥檚 rapidly aging population, from housing to long-term care. Kim McCoy Wade, director of the state Department of Aging, vows it will not end up on a shelf gathering dust.
Schools Walk the Tightrope Between Ideal Safety and the Reality of Covid
Across the country, politics have muddied the question of when and how to reopen schools. Even though teachers continue to fear for their safety, lawmakers and parents are demanding that schools take advantage of declining infection rates to open safely and quickly.
California鈥檚 Top Hospital Lobbyist Cements Influence in Covid Crisis
Carmela Coyle, who represents California鈥檚 hospitals in the state Capitol, is a power player whose clout has grown during the pandemic. Though she hasn鈥檛 won every battle, she has helped shape the state鈥檚 response to the crisis.
With Becerra as HHS Pick, California Plots More Progressive Health Care Agenda
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has already begun discussing California health care priorities with Xavier Becerra, tapped this week by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as his Health and Human Services secretary.
