Dear California Kids, Don’t let us adults destroy your futures! This moment gives you unprecedented power to fix what’s wrong with how California treats kids. I am begging you to use it. Before COVID-19, California was shortchanging its 9.1 million children in education and health. Now in crisis, the state’s...
Humana Picks up the Tab for Medicare Advantage Doctor Visits
The health insurer Humana will cover the whole bill for millions of customers when they are ready to ease COVID-19 social distancing and return to the doctor’s office. The insurer said Tuesday that it is waiving copayments, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for the rest of the year for all...
Coronavirus Could Force Private Medical Practices to Close or Sell
In a matter of weeks, Dr. William Goral, a private practice ear, nose and throat specialist in San Bernardino County, will be out of business. His small, solo clinic, which has served patients throughout the Inland Empire for 30 years, postponed about 80% of patient visits due to coronavirus restrictions....
Court Rules Insurers Can Collect $12B for Obamacare Losses
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Monday that insurance companies can collect $12 billion from the federal government to cover their losses in the early years of the health care law championed by President Barack Obama. Insurers are entitled to the money under a provision of the “Obamacare” health law...
Doing His 'Part', UCSF-Fresno Doctor Battles COVID-19 in New York
You might call it the ultimate "house" visit. One doctor from UCSF-Fresno just wanted to help his home state in the battle against coronavirus. “Please come help us in New York now,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at the end of March. Doctor Leaves Fresno Sunday Morning William Chiang, M.D., left...
House Debates $2.2T Virus Relief Bill Amid Last-Minute Snag
WASHINGTON — With exceptional resolve in an extraordinary time, the House on Friday debated a $2.2 trillion package tossing a life preserver to a U.S. economy and health care system left flailing by the coronavirus pandemic, even as one maverick Republican threatened leaders' plans for swift passage. Democratic and Republican leaders were working...
Celebrities Get Virus Tests, Raising Concerns of Inequality
WASHINGTON — Celebrities, politicians and professional athletes faced a backlash this week as many revealed that they had been tested for the coronavirus, even when they didn’t have a fever or other tell-tale symptoms. That’s fueling a perception that the wealthy and famous have been able to jump to the...
For Californians, Health Care, Climate are Top Issues
Voters in California’s Democratic primary ranked health care and climate change as the most important issues facing the country, well above the economy, race relations, foreign policy and many other social issues. About a third named health care, an issue that has intensely divided the field of Democratic candidates. Nearly...
Supreme Court Will Decide the Fate of Obama Health Care Law
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide a lawsuit that threatens the Obama-era health care law, but the decision is not likely until after the 2020 election. The court said it would hear an appeal by 20 mainly Democratic states of a lower-court ruling that declared part...
AP Fact Check: Trump's Exaggerated 'Great American Comeback'
WASHINGTON — The "great American comeback” President Donald Trump claimed in his State of the Union speech drew on falsehoods about U.S. energy supremacy, health care and the economy as well as distortions about his predecessor's record. In arguing, in essence, that he has made America great again, Trump took...