In the last issue of California Legislative Beat, we examined some significant bills from year one of California’s 2023-2024 legislative term. Specifically, we focused on legislation that sought to make changes in healthcare competition, consolidation, and system reform. In part 2 of the 2023 session recap, we turn our attention to bills that aimed to tackle healthcare service and pharmaceutical costs, coverage, and price transparency.   Healthcare Costs and Coverage Californians can expect to be protected from surprising dental or emergency ground medical transportation bills soon. The legislature approved and …

In the previous issue of the California Legislative Beat, we examined healthcare bills introduced in the 2023-2024 legislative term that target healthcare consolidation and competition in California (see 2023 California Healthcare Bills – Part 1). In this second part of the two-part series, we explore some newly proposed bills that seek to increase access to care, control costs, and improve transparency in data and prices.   System Reform and Access California is a leader in innovative healthcare policy and initiatives, particularly to increase patients access to care while lowering overall …

By: Swaja Khanna, Student Fellow Late last year, in the middle of the holiday season, I needed a prescription medication urgently. My physician prescribed it on December 13th. I received the medication on December 20th. It took a whole week to get a medication that I should have long finished by the time I actually received it. I was deeply frustrated not only because I was physically ill, but also because I was dealing with a great deal of uncertainty. When I attempted to pick up my medication from the …