Calif. Considers Limiting 'Try and Fail' for Pain Drugs
Prescription painkillers known as opioids are the most widely prescribed class of medications in the country. But there's debate over their long-term effectiveness, and some patients struggle to get insurance companies to cover the drugs even when their doctors prescribe them. Now, California lawmakers are considering a bill that would address that issue.
State Opposes Feds on Clearing Levee Trees
The state of California and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are disputing the fate of trees and bushes that grow along 1,600 miles of California levees that protect the Delta and Central Valley from flooding. The Corps fears the levees could be damaged by tree roots and wants the state to cut down most of them. But state officials want the trees to stay.