Medi-Cal

The nation's most populous state has become a case study in governing remotely as California legislators handle a shutdown, a pandemic and tanking economy.

Donna Insalaco had to lay off 40 of the 45 employees at Pizzaiolo, her gourmet pizzeria in downtown Oakland, after sales fell through a “black hole.” “A lot of tears,” Insalaco said, “All of us here live check-to-check.” Responding to a statewide call for restaurants to close their doors to dine-in customers, Pizzaiolo is now […]

UC regents consider tax hike. Legislators consider cutting cannabis tax. State braces for another challenge to Obamacare and Medi-Cal

State Auditor Elaine Howle found some 1.4 million toddlers enrolled in Medi-Cal had gone untested for lead exposure over the past decade, and another 740,000 missed one of two required screenings — a failure encompassing nearly three-quarters of the babies covered by the state’s publicly-funded health insurance program. 

State legislators go back to work this week with a focus on homelessness, wildfire, how to spend yet another fat budget surplus, and a Capitol baby boom.

Assemblyman pushes for more aid for undocumented immigrants. Legislation to curb dental credit cards is watered down. UC looks at alternatives to SAT, ACT.

Walters: The mother of all medical-care battles will erupt if Gov. Gavin Newsom tries to make good on his campaign promise to install a single-payer system.

Kenda Williams, 51, went to West Coast Dental in Torrance to treat the shooting pain in her molar. She spent the day in a drug-induced haze. Williams later found out she had signed up for two credit cards that day to cover her dentist’s $9,055 bill. Unemployed and on Medi-Cal, the Los Angeles resident had […]

A California pilot program aims to provide housing for vulnerable homeless people and saves taxpayer money. A RAND analysis found that for every dollar Los Angeles County invested in the program, it saved $1.20 in reduced health care and social service costs.

Politicians pile on PG&E over power shutdown. Race is on to implement privacy rules. Homeless courts proposal may be headed to ballot.