Oakland Hospital Prepares for Affordable Care Act
Facilities like Oakland's Highland Hospital are the backbone of California's public health safety-net. Many of the state?s uninsured come to public hospitals like Highland to get care. They treat the complex and varied health needs of diverse populations, often while managing tight budgets. We visit the emergency department at Highland to talk with Kathleen Clanon, associate chief medical officer for Alameda Health System, the county network that runs the hospital.
In Preparation for Obamacare, Businesses Look at Their Bottom Lines
Obamacare leaves some California business owners with a tough decision: whether to offer their employees health insurance, or pay a federal penalty. That's led some employers to slow hiring or make plans to lay off staff. In a surprise announcement earlier this month, the Obama administration said it would delay the penalty for a year. But having extra time doesn't stop some business owners from worrying that health reform will affect their bottom line.
Insurance Companies Face Uncertainty
While business owners have a little more time to deal with requirements under the Affordable Care Act, insurers have had to deal with a host of new rules already in effect. For example, health plans cannot put lifetime limits on how much they'll pay for most benefits. They can't deny coverage to children with pre-existing medical conditions. Next year, that provision will extend to adults. Host Mina Kim talks with Larry Levitt, a private insurance industry expert and senior vice president for special initiatives at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Undocumented Immigrants Left Out of Health Reform
Under health reform, millions of Californians will have new insurance options. Those looking to buy individual plans -- and those looking to get a little help from the federal government to pay for those plans -- will be able to use the state's online marketplace, Covered California. More low-income residents will quality for the safety-net plan Medi-Cal. But shut out altogether are the state's undocumented immigrants.
Obamacare Already Paying Dividends for Some
We hear from two people in San Diego whose lives have already changed under the Affordable Care Act. They say, without the health law, they would have no insurance.