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Access, Budget, Care4AllCA, Equity, Expanding Coverage, Legislation

Legislators and Advocates Unveil 2024 Care4all California Bills for Health Reform

Thirteen CA proposals announced today to get California to a more universal, accessible, and equitable health system, as soon as possible SACRAMENTO, CA – Today health care advocates gathered with legislative champions at the State Capitol to highlight important health reform bills in the 2024 legislative session. The thirteen bills and budget items featured as […]

Access, Network Adequacy

CA State Assembly Passes Patient Protection to Ensure Accurate Plan Provider Directories

AB 236 (Holden), which seeks to improve the accuracy of health plan provider directories for consumers, now heads to the California Senate. ***Impacted consumer stories available upon request***   SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, the California State Assembly passed AB 236 by Assemblymember Chris Holden, which will ensure accurate health plan provider directories, and help consumers […]

Affordability, Consumer Protection, Cost Containment, Mergers, OHCA

New Office of Health Care Affordability Proposal Would Limit Health Cost Growth, Offering Real Relief to Californians

Health and consumer advocates praise new staff recommendations of the Office of Health Care Affordability to set a statewide health growth target at 3% OHCA’s Health Care Affordability Board to make final decision in coming months SACRAMENTO, CA – California’s ambitious effort to rein in the skyrocketing cost of care enters a new phase this […]

Access, Covered California, Health4All

AB 4 (Arambula) Accessing Coverage in Covered California

Undocumented Californians are explicitly and unjustly excluded from accessing and purchasing health care coverage plans through Covered California, the state’s marketplace established under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). Assembly Bill 4 (Arambula) would address this exclusion by taking the first step toward allowing undocumented Californians to buy health plans through Covered California. Specifically, AB […]

Budget, Gov. Newsom, Health4All

Governor Newsom’s 2024-25 Budget Continues California’s Key Commitments in Health Care

Despite a deficit, the 2024-2025 state budget proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom continues key commitments in health care, particularly in Medi-Cal with improvements in rates and access, benefits, quality and equity, and eligibility, and keeping Medi-Cal available for all income-eligible Californians regardless of age or immigration status. As Californians face rising cost-of-living pressures, and higher […]

Access, Insurers, Legislation, Network Adequacy

AB 236 (Holden) Ensuring Accurate Health Plan Provider Directories

Share Your Story Download Factsheet Download Consumer Stories Sheet   BREAKING: #AB236 (@chrisholdennews) passed out of the #CAStateAssembly with 46 votes, and now it’s headed to the #CAStateSenate! 🎉 https://t.co/WL7lUMLkIc — Health Access CA (@healthaccess) January 30, 2024 Background  Every health plan in California is required to maintain an updated list of in-network health care […]

Access, Affordability, Appreciation, Consumer Protection, Health Reform, Recognition

2023 in Review

In 2023, Health Access advocated to provide real relief and remove financial barriers to California health consumers—successfully helping increase access to and/or reduce the cost of coverage, care, prescription drugs, and even ground ambulance services. We supported major investments in Medi-Cal to improve access and continue the commitment to expand coverage to all those who […]

Affordability, Budget, Care4AllCA, Cost Containment, Covered California

Premiums Remain Low and New Reductions in Deductibles and Co-pays

Today marks the start of the 11th open enrollment period of Covered California and the most affordable year ever for enrollees, with new, significant state and federal financial assistance available. The Inflation Reduction Act continues major premium assistance for the nearly 2 million Californians in Covered California through 2025. Funding included in this year’s state […]

Consumer Protection, Cost Containment, Gov. Newsom, Legislation, Prescription Drugs

Bill Signed by Governor Newsom to Permanently Cap Prescription Drug Costs

AB 948 (Berman) keeps expensive prescription drugs more affordable for Californians with chronic illnesses SACRAMENTO, CA – Over the weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 948 by Assemblymember Berman to make permanent the existing $250 co-pay cap for prescription drugs, ensuring consumers can count on their monthly prescription drug costs staying consistent, even […]

Gov. Newsom, Legislation, Surprise Bills

CA Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Bill to End Surprise Ambulance Billing for Californians

One of the most impactful health consumer bills this year, AB 716 (Boerner) will prevent Californians from getting $1,000 plus surprise ambulance bills, and take consumers out of the middle of ambulance billing disputes ***Impacted consumer stories available upon request*** SACRAMENTO, CA – Today California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 716 by Assemblymember Tasha […]

Affordability, Cost Containment, Federal, Hospitals, Mergers, OHCA

Health Access Joins New National Coalition: Consumers for Fair Hospital Pricing

Health Access California is proud to be a part of a new national coalition of health consumer advocates that are taking on skyrocketing hospital costs as a main driver of our growingly unaffordable health system. Consumers for Fair Hospital Pricing is about standing up to the big hospitals that have become big business, and fighting […]

Care4AllCA, Legislation, Surprise Bills

State Senate Passes AB 716 to End Surprise Ambulance Billing for Californians

One of the most impactful health consumer bills currently before the CA state legislature, AB 716 (Boerner) takes Californians out of the middle of ambulance billing disputes ***Impacted consumer stories available upon request*** SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday with unanimous bipartisan support, California’s State Senate passed AB 716 by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner to end a major […]

Gov. Newsom, Hospitals

Statement on California Distressed Hospital Loan Announcement

SACRAMENTO, CA – Below is a statement from Anthony Wright, Executive Director of Health Access California, the statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition, in response to Governor Newsom’s announcement today to loan $300 million to 17 hospitals throughout the state under the Distressed Hospital Loan Program. “These funds are much appreciated to support the hospitals […]

Affordability, Announcement, Covered California

Covered California Announces More Affordable Plan Options, Despite Rising Rates

California’s health benefit exchange, Covered California, announced today its plan options in 2024, including that premiums will increase on average 9.6%. However, even with rising premium rates, federal and state affordability assistance will ensure that Covered California will be more affordable than ever. The Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act caps premium costs for all Covered […]

Affordability, Covered California

Covered California Votes to Lower Health Care Cost-Sharing for Hundreds of Thousands

The 2023-2024 California state budget guaranteed that funds raised from the individual mandate tax penalty will be used to lower costs for Californians who purchase care on their own through Covered California. Covered California’s Board voted today to use the funds to implement new 2024 benefits that will significantly reduce deductibles and co-pays for over […]

Budget

Major Health Care Affordability Help for Covered California Enrollees

The 2023-2024 state budget agreement announced between the State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom includes a major new agreement to improve health care affordability for hundreds of thousands of Covered California enrollees. Agreement will ensure that the majority of funds raised from the tax penalty for not having coverage goes back into a fund to […]

Legislation

Major Bills to Expand Health Care Access and Lower Costs Pass CA Assembly

AB 716 (Boerner) to stop surprise ambulance bills and AB 4 (Arambula) to open up Covered California to all regardless of immigration status passed the Assembly floor with bipartisan votes. Bills to increase health industry accountability on costs pass including AB 1092 (Wood) and AB 616 (Rodriguez). Other key #Care4AllCA priorities to improve the health […]

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