Kristen Hwang – San Jose Inside

Opponents of Newsom’s Mental Health Plan Concede It’s Likely to Pass

Kristen Hwang — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 03:36:17 +0000

Many Californians were undecided heading into Election Day on Gov. Newsom’s Proposition 1, which funds new mental health treatment facilities. As of noon Tuesday with about 5.8 million votes counted, the measure was leading by a margin of 50.3% to 49.7%.

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With New Bond Vote Pending, 2018 Bond for Housing Hits Snags

Kristen Hwang — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 21:02:29 +0000

Californians in March will vote on a $6.4 billion bond to build thousands of housing units for people with serious mental health conditions. A 2018 ballot measure made similar promises, but Santa Clara County and the rest of the state are falling short.

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As California Closes Prisons, Spending per Inmate Hits Record

Kristen Hwang — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 22:02:10 +0000

Locking up a California state prisoner for one year costs nearly twice as much as tuition at the state’s top private universities. The number surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and remains high because of inmate medical costs and pay boosts for prison guards and other workers.

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No More Surprise Ambulance Bills in CA in 2024

Kristen Hwang — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 15:30:31 +0000

Surprise ambulance bills can leave families deeply in debt after a medical emergency. A new state law that forces insurance companies to negotiate payments is expected to save Californians tens of millions of dollars a year.

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CA Is First State to Offer Health Insurance to All Eligible Undocumented Adults

Kristen Hwang — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 03:29:14 +0000

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2022 budget included the latest expansion of MediCal: 700,000 undocumented immigrants between the ages of 26 and 49 will become eligible Jan. 1 although the state is now headed into a $68 billion deficit,

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Kaiser Employee Salaries Will Increase 21% through 2027

Kristen Hwang — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:31:07 +0000

Unions representing 68,000 Kaiser Permanente workers in California put pressure on the health care giant to raise pay and address what they called understaffing during two strikes over the past year.

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California Sues ‘Crisis Pregnancy’ Centers over ‘Abortion Pill Reversal’ Claims

Kristen Hwang — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 21:44:07 +0000

Several anti-abortion centers are advertising what they say is an abortion pill reversal. California Attorney General Rob Bonta calls the claims false advertising that mislead vulnerable patients.

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Late Changes to Newsom’s $6B Mental Health Bond ‘Horrifies’ Advocates

Kristen Hwang — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 18:23:24 +0000

California voters likely will see a mental health ballot measure on the March 2024 election. One would issue a $6 billion bond to create housing for people with mental illnesses.

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California Needs Thousands of Nurses, but Leaders Can’t Agree on How to Fill Jobs

Kristen Hwang — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 22:06:52 +0000

Some California hospitals have a nurse vacancy rate of 30%, stressing overworked staff and causing some to leave the industry earlier than they planned.

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Covered California Announces Biggest Premium Increases since 2018

Kristen Hwang — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:31:37 +0000

Covered California will waive deductibles for many patients, and continue generous subsidies, but a projected 9.6% rate hike signals that runaway health care costs are back after five years of low premium increases.

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