Blog

That’s a wrap! Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed legislation enacting the final budget agreement for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Unlike prior fiscal years where California benefited from a budget surplus, the State saw a significant deficit and weakening state revenues...

Health care has increasingly become more expensive for Californians. Personal health care spending has nearly tripled in California since 2000, outpacing economic indicators like median wage and median household income. A majority of Californians (57%)...

Each Wonks’ Corner, a member of Blue Shield’s government affairs team dives into a current policy topic. See our previous Wonks’ Corner blogs here. Prior authorization. These two words trigger a lot of negative emotions from consumers and everyone...

Each Wonks’ Corner, a member of Blue Shield’s government affairs team dives into a current policy topic. See our previous Wonks’ Corner blogs here. From accelerating demand for electronic health record systems to mandating use of modern data exchange...

The U.S. is facing a maternal health crisis. The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. is three times the rate as most other high-income countries, and maternal and infant mortality is especially inequitable for Black mothers and their babies.

By any measure, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – especially as implemented in California – met or exceeded expectations on expanding coverage to tens of millions of Americans. Paired with recent state budgetary actions by Gov. Gavin Newsom opening...

Every person deserves access to the medications they need at a price they can afford. In August, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, landmark legislation that starts to fix the broken market for prescription drugs. This desperately needed reform...

Blue Shield of California engages in the state budget process each year, supporting policies that ensure all Californians have access to high-quality health care at an affordable price.

Blue Shield of California is actively engaging with the California State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom’s Administration to promote health equity for commercial and Medi-Cal consumers. In particular, Blue Shield of California and Promise Health...