After years of record California budget surpluses, Gov. Newsom outlined a plan to deal with a deficit he projects at $22.5 billion and said he can keep his big promises despite the shortfalls.

State health officials last year launched a first-ever competitive bidding process for its Medi-Cal insurance contracts, but when the winners were announced, several insurers complained about the process and its potential impact on patient care.

The union representing 2,000 Kaiser Northern California mental health works announced plans for an open-ended strike this month, citing high workloads and long waits for patients.

Rival California health insurers say the special deal is unfair and could leave them with high-need patients.

The California Legislature has approved several Medi-Cal budget items that would remove barriers to care, such as the asset rule. Now it’s negotiating with the governor.

We need an immediate change in mindset as to how testing is distributed. We cannot allow this to be yet another social injustice. 

Here’s what you need to know about the new budget, which is surgical about taxing and spending while still keeping promises to help the poor.

Enhancing access to injectable antipsychotics may benefit taxpayers and others who pay for health care of patients with mental illness.

Santa Clara County more than doubled its enrollment targets for the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare, driving up revenue for the Valley Health and Hospital System.

In the first five months of the fiscal year, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s on-call and overtime pay for doctors took a staggering leap, going from an average of less than $20,000 a month in 2011-12 to $967,000 this fiscal year. The Board of Supervisors will discuss the $1 billion health agency’s drastic uptick in costs—4,835-percent increase in per-month, on-call wages— as well as other issues at Tuesday’s meeting.