Healthcare

Will CA Regulators Protect Anthem And Cigna Or Consumers?

Submitted by Eddie Barrera on Fri, 03/04/2016 - 16:02
Considering Anthem and Cigna's past behavior, California consumers better prepare themselves for the worst if state regulators don't do the right thing on their proposed merger. 
 

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Capitol Watchdog: Upcoming Meetings to Watch

Submitted by Eddie Barrera on Mon, 02/29/2016 - 11:52

The Department of Managed Health Care will be reviewing Anthem's proposed acquisition of Cigna. While Cigna's footprint is small in California, it continues the rapid consolidation of the health insurance industry.

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Will Lawmakers Protect Doctors Or Patients In New Legislation?

Submitted by Eddie Barrera on Wed, 02/24/2016 - 15:02

If California lawmakers plan to move forward with creating a state-sponsored "diversion program" for treating substance-abusing doctors, it should not be a secret country club for addicted doctors who want to hide from the consequences. 

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Covered California Abuses No-Bid Contract Policy

Submitted by Eddie Barrera on Wed, 02/17/2016 - 10:15
Covered California views transparency as an obstacle to be overcome and no-bid contracts as a perk to abuse. That's the lesson to be learned after an audit released Tuesday by the state auditor that questioned a broad policy that allowed the use of no-bid contracts at the health exchange, which contracted $198 million worth of bids, out of $989 million in total, for these type of sole-bid contracts during a three-period of time. 

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Senator Looks After Patients While Medical Board Looks the Other Way

Submitted by Eddie Barrera on Tue, 02/16/2016 - 12:37

The California Medical Board had one job to do when it came to protecting patients from doctors on probation: Make it easier for patients to know. The Board failed, and now state Senator Jerry Hill is trying to rectify that error by proposing legislation. 

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Billion Dollar Plus Valentine’s Day Gift for CA Health Plans Greases MCO Tax Legislation?

Submitted by Jamie Court on Tue, 02/16/2016 - 08:25
Legislation that first appeared little more than one week ago, which is moving so fast it could be law this week, could give California’s health insurance companies one of the largest tax giveaways of the century.  

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