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Health and Human Services

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Untangling the Morass of the ACA

By on February 15th, 2013

The implementation of the Affordable Care Act is a complex morass that will impact California’s 58 counties on wide variety of fronts – from budgetary to service delivery. For most county officials, there are currently more questions than answers.

The CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government has spent the past two days trying to answer some of those questions through a course that is providing county officials with a balanced, fact-based discussion on how federal health care reform is being implemented in California and its effect on county health, mental health and social services.

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County News, Health and Human Services, Housing, Land Use/ Transportation Comments turned off

The Inland Tsunami

By on February 14th, 2013

As a kid living in Sonoma County, I remember being frightened by the once-rampant rumor that the next big earthquake would split the state at the San Andreas Fault and everything west of that geologic line would sink into the Pacific Ocean. Our five acres in Penngrove would suddenly be beach-front property. More recently, the [...]

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Health and Human Services Comments turned off

The Noise of Democracy

By on February 11th, 2013

The CSAC offices are located exactly one block north of the State Capitol, perfectly positioned to observe that hallmark of American democracy – the political rally. Many of them occur on the north steps of the Capitol—a long chip shot from the side door of the CSAC building. Today’s issue was health care – with those gathered arguing for a single-payer health care system in California.

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Government Finance/ Operations, Health and Human Services 2 comments

Health Care Reform: What Role for Counties?

By on January 30th, 2013

The Governor has called a “special session” of the Legislature to work on implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  When the ACA takes full effect in January 2014, about a million more people will be eligible for Medi-Cal and the Governor has outlined two possible ways to expand Medi-Cal coverage. Both of them have significant [...]

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Federal Issues, Health and Human Services Comments turned off

Another Voice: Congress Debating Expedited Drug Reauthorization Act

By on May 8th, 2012

The United States Congress is currently debating a major piece of health care policy called the Prescription Drug and User Fee Act (PDUFA). While you may not have heard of PDUFA before, it has had a positive effect on patients and California businesses since 1992. The Campaign for Modern Medicines, a coalition organized by pharmaceutical companies, is working to support reauthorization of the Act by Congress this year. And while PDUFA has broad bipartisan support, there will be attempts to add on unnecessary elements that will reduce the effectiveness of the program.

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