Covered Cal: Enrollments steady

The threatened destruction of Obamacare hasn't kept consumers from signing up for health care via Covered California. As of Jan. 23, 322,014 people have newly enrolled in a health plan via the state Obamacare operation since Nov. 1, keeping pace with the enrollment posted a year ago. "While people are worried, the uncertainty is not preventing them from enrolling or renewing in coverage for 2017," Covered California chief Peter ... (More)

Waiver for illegals pulled by state

At the dawn of the Trump administration, California officials have withdrawn their request to provide illegal immigrants with Obamacare services. State Sen. Ricardo Lara, left, who sponsored the state legislation that supported the immigrant health-care signups, said the move was the "first California casualty of the Trump presidency." Lara linked the move with fears of deportation based on candidate Donald Trump's stated intent ... (More)

209,000 jobs at stake in California

The threatened repeal of the Affordable Care Act could cost California as many as 209,000 jobs, researchers at UC Berkeley predict. The total cost to the state GDP of axing Obamacare -- a move backed by President-elect Donald Trump -- would be more than $20 billion, according to a report from the university's Center for Labor Research and Education. The damage won't stop there, researchers warn. State and local governments would ... (More)

Covered California future in doubt

Before Election Day, California's insurance exchange was slated to meet soon to map out its "long-term vision" for health reform. That conversation has suddenly shifted to whether the largest state-run marketplace has much of a long-term future itself. President-elect Donald Trump and Republican congressional leaders have vowed to quickly repeal the health law that keeps federal premium subsidies flowing to California. And those ... (More)

Calif. big loser as Trump wins

California has a lot to lose if President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress fulfill their campaign pledge to repeal Obamacare. The Golden State fully embraced the Affordable Care Act by expanding Medicaid coverage for the poor and creating its own health insurance exchange for about 1.4 million enrollees. Supporters held California up as proof the health law could work as intended. But now President Barack Obama's ... (More)