Also From California Report
A window into health in California.
Special Coverage: Health Care Reform - Radio Archive
A collection of reports by KQED Radio productions, including KQED Radio News, The California Report and Forum. Reports are listed in reverse chronological order.
The California Report | Thursday, Feb 14, 2013, 8:50 AM
State Gives a Preview of Health Insurance Choices
Californians are getting a glimpse of what health insurance will look like come 2014. Officials with the state's online insurance marketplace, called Covered California, have announced new details about their health plans. They've even unveiled a website where consumers can calculate their premium subsidy.
Forum | Friday, Sep 21, 2012, 9:30 AM
How Will Health Care Reform Affect Californians?
The Affordable Care Act gives states the power to review rates when insurers hike premiums by 10 percent or more. But that doesn't mean they have the authority to stop those hikes -- and the state says its hands are tied. So what does this mean for future premiums? What other changes can Californians expect to see with the health reform law, and what can they do in response?
THIS WEEK in Northern California | Friday, Jun 29, 2012, 7:30 PM
Impact of U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Affordable Care Act on California
On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, upheld the constitutionality of the core of the Affordable Care Act. The historic ruling enables California to continue its expansion of the state's Medi-Cal program and create a health insurance exchange. An estimated 7 million uninsured residents will need to find insurance when the individual mandate is enacted.
The California Report | Friday, Jun 29, 2012, 4:30 PM
How Will the Health Care Ruling Impact Medi-Cal?
This week's Supreme Court decision upholding President Obama's Affordable Care Act is a bright green light for health care reform in California. And one of the state agencies responsible for implementing the ACA is the Department of Health Care Services. We talk to the department's director Toby Douglas about how the ruling will affect California's expansion of Medi-Cal.
Forum | Friday, Jun 29, 2012, 9:00 AM
California and the Affordable Care Act
A day after the Supreme Court's ruling on health reform, we look at how the coming changes in the health care industry will affect consumers. California has already taken great strides in implementing the Affordable Care Act's reforms. For example, the state has a health benefit exchange and the nation's biggest pre-existing coverage insurance plan. But with nearly 20 percent of the state's population uninsured, there are big challenges ahead.
The California Report | Thursday, Jun 28, 2012, 6:00 PM
The Health Care Ruling and California
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the individual insurance requirement at the heart of President Barack Obama's health care law, what will be the impact in California? Host Scott Shafer talks with experts on California health care about the ruling and its potential impact in California from legal, political, business, consumer and health provider perspectives.
THIS WEEK in Northern California | Friday, Jun 22, 2012, 7:30 PM
News Panel: Affordable Care Act Ruling, Immigration Reform, Oakland Army Base, and more
Next week, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make its highly anticipated decision on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A reversal of all or part of President Obama's health care law could affect billions of dollars in federal subsidies for California's Medi-Cal expansion and the 2014 planned roll-out of the state's health insurance exchange. The Obama administration's new immigration policy would halt deportation of thousands of undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children, including an estimated 350,000 in California. Supporters say the President's action was long-overdue and could boost his election-year chances in some swing states, but Republican leaders questioned the policy of granting work visas to illegal immigrants while young Americans face record unemployment. On Tuesday, Oakland's City Council approved the first phase of a billion dollar transformation of a former army base into a state-of-the-art cargo distribution center. It's been heralded as one of the largest development projects in Oakland's history and is expected to create thousands of jobs, half of which must be set aside for local residents.
The California Report | Friday, Apr 27, 2012, 4:30 PM
Why Isn't Kaiser Less Expensive?
Kaiser Permanente is often cited as an example of a health maintenenace organization that keeps costs reined in. In fact, portions of the Affordable Care Act were crafted with the Kaiser model in mind. But critics say the price gap between Kaiser and other insurance companies has narrowed, and the reasons are unclear.
Forum | Thursday, Mar 29, 2012, 9:00 AM
Health Law Hearings Wrap-Up
The U.S. Supreme Court has wrapped up three days of hearings on the federal health care overhaul. While the White House believes the health care law will be upheld, some analysts think the justices have signaled they are prepared to invalidate the individual mandate, which could put the entire law at risk.
THIS WEEK in Northern California | Friday, Mar 23, 2012, 7:30 PM
News Panel: Affordable Care Act, Mirkarimi Suspended, and more
The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to hear arguments next week in a landmark case that could determine the future of healthcare and have a significant impact in California. At issue is the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law two years ago. Ross Mirkarimi's future hangs in the balance as the San Francisco Ethics Commission prepares to consider charges of official misconduct leveled against the sheriff after he was suspended by Mayor Ed Lee earlier this week. California State University administrators, anticipating $200 million in additional cuts, announce they will freeze admissions for the 2013 spring quarter. Meanwhile, a bill to cap salaries for top CSU administrators is rejected by the state Senate Education Committee. Seventy of California's 273 state parks are slated for closure this summer because of budget cuts. The California Report's series "On the Rocks" explores trail blazing efforts underway by residents, non-profit agencies, and local and federal governments to prevent some of our treasured parks from closing.
