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Wildfires, heat waves and access to care among health-related problems facing Californians
The latest annual California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) offers a more precise look at how the 2025 wildfires affected Californians’ health and well-being. The data also reveal trends in the health of immigrants, low-income individuals, and transgender and gender-expansive communities. The 2025 CHIS data show: 500,000 more California adults said their mental health was harmed...
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.
California falls short on Medi-Cal fraud, state report says
The program serves 14 million Californians and pays out $200 billion a year. State health officials dispute the findings.
Annual UCLA survey responses cover public health issues, including housing, heat
A growing number of Californians are experiencing extreme heat and other climate-related events, according to UCLA’s annual California Health Interview Survey released Thursday. The percentage of adults who reported that they or a household member personally experienced wildfires in the past two years more than doubled – increasing from 2.9 million to 6.5 million from 2024 to 2025, according to the report.
Wildfires, heat, food insecurity, lack of medical care affect Californians’ health: UCLA survey
Nearly 30% of LA County adults said they or members of their households experienced wildfires during the previous two years, up from 6.6% in the previous survey.
Wildfires, heat waves and access to care among health-related problems facing Californians
The new annual California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data released today provide a more precise look at how the 2025 wildfires affected Californians' health and well-being, while also revealing troubling ...
Video: California's dream pop maestros Soft Science unveil mesmerising video for the gorgeous dreamy track 'Without' off their recent album 'Sand'.
Californian band Soft Science recently released their fifth album ‘Sand’ through Shelflife Records (USA) and Spinout Nuggets (UK), and have just unveiled the video for the gorgeous track ‘Without’. ‘Without’…
Californians are ‘really losing sleep’ over this financial burden
Medical bills have become Californians’ top financial worry, a new survey finds, with many saying health care costs are forcing them to delay care and make painful tradeoffs.
Rob Bonta explains why he should be reelected Attorney General
As California Attorney General Rob Bonta seeks reelection, he emphasized his effort to protecting Californians’ rights, address affordability, and improve public safety during his time in office in an interview on California Politics 360.
Ariel Roblin: Political differences should never diminish our concern for one another's safety
Normally, we like to focus our editorials on local or state issues – as federal issues tend to be immediately divisive. But this one hit Californians hard.
Top Democrats and allies to fight a California billionaire tax
It would impose a one-time, 5% tax on the wealth of Californians whose net worth exceeds $1 billion
Covered California open enrollment for health coverage is approaching
Covered California open enrollment for health coverage in 2027 begins on Nov. 1. For many Californians, that means it's time to take another look at your health plan.
Californians are in a sour mood but don’t want to change the political status quo
All of the statewide offices, including the governorship, will remain in Democratic hands.
Column: Becerra on cruise control, Hilton offers contrived fixes for California's problems
Look, Xavier Becerra could cruise to a South Pacific island and bask on the beach until election day and Californians would still choose him as their next governor.
Fact check: Did Newsom’s mental health court hit his goal for helping Californians?
Gov. Gavin Newsom claimed a major victory for CARE Court, his mental health treatment program. Did it really help 10,000 people?”
Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases
Doctors and health insurers filed a lawsuit Friday alleging Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature violated the law when they approved a healthcare tax that could substantially increase insurance premiums for Californians.
CalAIM Offers Housing and Health Support, but Medi-Cal Barriers Leave Some Californians Behind
California’s CalAIM program can connect vulnerable residents with health care and housing, but getting that help isn’t always simple.
Fact check: Did Newsom’s mental health court hit his goal for helping Californians?
Gov. Gavin Newsom this week claimed a major victory for CARE Court, his program to provide mental health treatment to Californians with serious conditions. Did it really help 10,000 people?"
Californians are in a sour mood but don't want to change the political status quo
Californians are dissatisfied with the present and sour on the future, but the Democratic Party can expect to maintain its hegemony.
New laws make incremental tweaks to California’s mental health court, while bigger changes nixed
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills Sunday designed to help his mental health court reach more vulnerable Californians. But two other bills that would have made much bigger, and more controversial, changes to the program died without ever making it to his desk. […]
New laws make incremental tweaks to California’s mental health court, while bigger changes nixed
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws designed to help CARE Court better connect Californians with mental health care.
Column: Voter ID ballot measure fixes a problem that doesn't exist
What’s so wrong about requiring every Californian to show a government ID before they’re allowed to vote?
Empowering Youth Sports Culture helps kid's mental health
The Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind Campaign provides guidance and resources on physical activity and mental well-being for Californians of all ages. The goal is to increase awareness among all age groups about the benefits of movement, sport, nutrition, and overall physical and mental wellness. Now there's a sharper focus not just on the athletes but on the coaches, in making sure kids stay in the game. We spoke with Olympic Gold Medal figure skater, Fremont's own Kristi Yamaguchi to Mornings on 2, to talk about this.
Drugs for autoimmune diseases are pricey. This bill could switch patients to a cheaper one
Nearly 25,000 Californians could get switched to a cheaper drug next year — unless their doctor objects.
Should Californians worry about the chances of AI destroying humanity?
Stefano Bellasio, CEO of AI startup Anthropos, weighs in on the skepticism of the AI industry on California Politics 360.
'It’s Triage': California's next governor will face destabilizing surge in uninsured
By 2030, the number of uninsured Californians under 65 is expected to nearly double from 2.4 million to 4.6 million.
'It's Triage': California's next governor will face destabilizing surge in uninsured
By 2030, the number of uninsured Californians under 65 is expected to nearly double from 2.4 million to 4.6 million.
Science Says: It's OK to Hate the Heat
You hate it. I hate it. We all hate it. It’s ——- hot! But are we being pampered Southern Californians brats who can’t handle a real summer? No, says science! […]
Southern California braces for, 'very dangerous and unusual heat' -- plus oppressive humidity
Sweltering heat and higher than normal humidity is causing dangerous conditions for Southern Californians on Wednesday.
Catch 22: Californians can't afford health insurance but face fines if they drop it
For one Californian, the state subsidy contributed $1 a month to her $600 premium. She considered dropping coverage but faced a $1,600 penalty.
Endorsement: No on Proposition 44, a cynical attack on community health clinics
Californians must not fall for SEIU-UHW’s thuggish tactics. Vote no on Proposition 44.
California Wants $7.5 Billion for Science. My Generation Will Inherit
A STUDENT’S VIEW - California may ask voters to authorize billions for scientific research after federal funding cuts. Young Californians have a particular stake in what happens next. California is c
Scientists discovered an underwater city of 20,000 octopus nests deep inside California coast; largest known nursery on the planet
Researchers have located the planet's largest known octopus nursery deep off the Californian coast, documenting 5,718 animals in 2.5 hectares and estimating about 20,000 around Davidson Seamount. Known as the Octopus Garden, the nursery is located about 10,500 feet below the surface off Central California.
California’s healthcare affordability office claims power to punish overspending hospitals
Year after year Californians watch their health bills increase faster than their wages — for some, to the point where care becomes unaffordable. Four years ago, the state created an
California’s healthcare affordability office claims power to punish overspending hospitals
Year after year Californians watch their health bills increase faster than their wages — for some, to the point where care becomes unaffordable. Four years ago, the state created an
Spot, snap and upload: Why California scientists want your nature photos
Use the iNaturalist app to track local species and help scientists protect California's unique natural heritage this Biodiversity week.
Even blue California wants lower taxes and smaller government
A new survey of Californians’ political views shows the Democrats are still dominant, but a majority of voters wants lower taxes and smaller government.
Californians surprised by $68 payments from Sutter Health settlement. Do you qualify?
Surprise payments of $68.81 hit some Californians’ accounts this week. Distribution is underway in a class action settlement that Sutter Health agreed to pay over alleged data privacy issues.…
‘There is nothing else’: Californians face eviction as insurer cancels assisted living benefit
Thousands of California families are facing abrupt cancellations of coverage for assisted living as insurer Health Net adjusts the benefits it provides.
Kennedy in Bakersfield: States will get best science as Kern reports measles cases
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) As millions of Californians begin heading back to the classroom from summer vacation, President Trump has signed an executive or
Medicaid cuts stand to hit everyone (yes, even you). Here’s why
Even privately insured Californians could see longer ER waits and rising premiums as hospitals absorb Medi-Cal cuts.
CA is dismantling its healthcare system
In a new documentary, CalMatters goes inside a Los Angeles clinic to examine how Californians are being forced to choose between medicine and food.
Heat wave prompts health experts to urge checks on seniors and pets
Experts are urging people to check in on sensitive groups as high heat continues to impact millions of Californians.
Opinion: Taxing billionaires will help Californians keep their health coverage
California voters have the chance to vote ‘yes’ on Proposition 40, which will make billionaires pay to keep hospitals open and healthcare affordable.
Empowering the Next Generation of Civic Leaders
Young Californians often feel disconnected from the political process. A recent event focused on inspiring civic engagement among California’s youth and highlighted the importance of civic education.
Healthcare costs are surging. Taxing billionaires will help Californians keep their coverage
Funding cuts have put a healthcare crisis on California's doorstep. With a one-time tax on billionaires, Californians will see relief, a nurse argues.
Poll shows most Californians support Becerra for governor, CEQA reform
A new poll shows Xavier Becerra with a hefty lead in the California governor's race. Voters also expressed strong opposition to AI data centers and nuanced views on environmental policies and affordability.
Californian pair indicted for operating darknet drug trafficking business in U.S. and South Florida
Two suspects from California accused of running a darknet drug trafficking business throughout the U.S. and in Miami-Dade and Broward counties were indicted on Wednesday, authorities said.
White House Moves to Control Federal Science Grants as RFK Jr. Threatens Scientific Journals
A proposed tax bill could raise premiums on privately insured Californians, and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. takes aim at medical journals.
Therapy in a tent: The healthcare many homeless Californians need but aren’t getting
Homeless Californians suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD at high rates; street therapy can be life changing, but access is limited.
The questions you'll see on the California ballot in November
California's Secretary of State has certified the questions Californians will see on the ballot in November.
State Sen. Josh Becker unveils "Wartime Price Gouging Prevention Act"
California Sen. Josh Becker has introduced a bill to empower the state attorney general to investigate price gouging during wartime emergencies, addressing what he says is a significant financial burden on Californians.
California health insurance tax hike: Will your premiums increase?
A balance act: To help fund the safety net, lawmakers have voted through a health tax extension that could increase premium costs for Californians with private insurance.
California is getting ready to increase a health insurance tax. Will it affect your premium?
Legislators approved a redesigned health tax that shifts more cost onto privately insured Californians to help preserve billions in federal Medi-Cal funding.
The number of uninsured Californians could nearly double by 2030, says new report
Historic cuts to Medicaid and low-cost California health insurance could leave 4.6 million residents with no coverage. A new report from the UC Berkeley Labor Center says the working poor, older workers and undocumented workers could bear the brunt.
Trump repeats claim that California election was rigged
President posts screenshot on Truth Social attacking Californian election, after walking out of NBC interview after refusing to substantiate his claims of election rigging
Newsom targets undocumented Californians with healthcare cost increase
California is making it harder for undocumented people to get healthcare.
Millions of Californians at risk of losing health insurance through Medi-Cal
Californians head to the polls as governor primary goes down to the wire
Other races also taking place in state as well as primaries in New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico, Iowa and Montana
More middle-class Californians cancel health coverage
Facing higher premiums and the loss of federal subsidies, 374,000 Californians canceled their health insurance coverage in the first three months of the year.
As poisonings soar, Californians urged not to pick, eat wild mushrooms
The state continues to see an unprecedented uptick in poisonings and deaths associated with death cap, or Amanita phalloides; and western destroying angel, Amanita ocreata, mushrooms.
How older Californians can utilize resources to prioritize mental health, meaningful connections
Many older Californians are living alone and facing social isolation, but state officials and health experts say resources are available to help maintain meaningful connections.
Newsom wants to claw back Trump fund cash as California burns billions on rail and other boondoggles
Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes a 100% tax on Californians who receive money from Trump's Anti-Weaponization Fund, calling it a reward for Jan. 6 rioters.
Get up to speed fast on the California election with our guide for the undecided
Californians are voting on a wide-open governor's race in a June 2 primary election. Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer are leading in polls.
Column: My pick for California governor is ... I'm still working on it
Like millions of Californians, I haven’t voted yet in the primary election.
White House looks like it’s playing politics with Californians’ health care
The administration is right to go after Medicaid fraud, but singling out the state for a huge penalty looks like retribution.
White House looks like it’s playing politics with Californians’ health care
The administration is right to go after Medicaid fraud, but singling out the state for a huge penalty looks like retribution.
5th Californian possibly exposed to hantavirus identified, health officials say no confirmed cases
Californian criminal suspects can trade prison for psychiatric care. Is it working?
Californians accused of crimes can receive mental health treatment rather than prison time. Lawmakers are revamping the rules following reports of violent offenses.
Santa Clara Co. resident was aboard cruise ship affected by Andes hantavirus outbreak: officials
A Santa Clara County resident was one of two Californians aboard the cruise ship with the Andes hantavirus outbreak. The county is monitoring and evaluating the person in coordination with the California Department of Public Health and the CDC.
They answer the call for Californians in mental distress. The money is running out
California's mobile crisis teams have doubled in size. A budget proposal could undo that.
Takeaways from the latest California governor’s debate
Eight candidates seeking to become California’s next governor met for an unwieldy debate Tuesday, where the candidates discussed their plans to make the state more affordable and sought to gain ground in an unsettled field. Xavier Becerra emphasized his past jobs as HHS secretary and California attorney general. But he also put aside a nice guy reputation with a few shots at his opponents. San Joe Mayor Matt Mahan pushed back on California’s gas tax, calling it regressive and arguing that rural and working-class Californians pay more to protect the roads than “wealthy EV owners.” And he said everyone else on stage had healthcare wrong.
Community as cure: Mental health help for homeless Black people is losing funds
Typical mental health efforts missed many Black Californians who are homeless, but some organizations made progress until Trump’s recent funding cuts.
Plans to fix gaps in Newsom’s mental health court reopen divisions over involuntary care
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court struggles to serve Californians in acute mental health crises. Two bills are moving forward to change that.
Hart Announces Bill Package to Improve Health Care Access and Outcomes
Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced three bills to help Californians obtain the care they need.
The fight to protect California science starts now
UC is co-sponsoring Senate Bill 895, a critical effort to sustain world-changing research that fuels the fourth-largest economy in the world and supports the quality of life for all Californians.
Calls grow for Eric Swalwell to exit politics over sexual assault allegations
An expanding number of Democrats, including fellow Californians, are asking their House colleague to quit his campaign for governor and resign from Congress.
Artemis II reentry will create a sonic boom. Here’s how to report it
Southern Californians might hear a sonic boom as NASA's Artemis II moon mission reenters the atmosphere off the coast of San Diego Friday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Innovative UC Health tool leads to better blood pressure control
‘These are real Californians who didn’t end up in an emergency room, didn’t have a disability, didn’t lose time with their families.’
Most Californians still disapprove of immigration crackdown, poll says
Two-thirds of California voters disapprove of Trump's immigration policies and a majority believe those policies are biased against Latinos, a new poll finds.
Concern over Health Care Affordability Is Widespread
A majority of Californians are pessimistic about their future health care costs. These worries are fueling broad opposition to federal health care rollbacks.
Californians may need to mail ballots early as Supreme Court signals support for new election day deadline
California counts mail-in ballots that arrive up to seven days after election day, but that option may be deemed illegal
Short-Term Cuts, Long-Term Costs: Investing in Health Care for All Californians
Providing health care for all Californians improves health, strengthens communities, and prevents higher long-term costs.
GOP candidate cites ‘failure’ of Newsom, Dems as new poll shows Republicans leading crowded California field
Steve Hilton, a Republican running for governor, said that the “absolute failure" by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats means that the GOP has a real shot at victory this year.
UCLA Faculty Association, science advocates host Stand Up for Science protest
Science advocates and UCLA Faculty Association members called on Californians to support a bill that would put scientific research funding on the 2026 ballot at a Saturday protest in Westwood.
Oscars walks political tightrope as poll shows Californians wary of Hollywood’s influence
Even in California, just 29 percent of voters say Hollywood has a positive impact on American culture, according to a new poll by POLITICO and its partners.
Ultrawealthy Consider $500 Million Fund to Influence California Politics
Silicon Valley billionaires have been seething over the threat of more taxes and regulations at home. Now, a proposed nine-figure fund aims to give wealthy Californians an unprecedented tool to reshape the state’s politics in their favor.
Newsom announces $1B in Prop 1 funding for health facilities
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the final round of Prop 1 funding, which will support 'significantly under-resourced' regions in the state.
Trump’s Medicaid work mandate could kick thousands of homeless Californians off coverage
A majority of California’s roughly 180,000 people experiencing homelessness have health insurance through Medi-Cal. Providers predict that many will lose insurance under President Donald Trump’s upcoming work mandates even if they qualify for exemptions.
Newsom threatens California counties for failing to use his new mental health court
Frustrated by the slow adoption of one of his signature efforts to get Californians with severe mental illness off the streets, Gov.
Calmatters: Californians Are Staying Insured But Settling For Health Coverage They May Not Use
CalMatters
Californians are staying insured — but settling for health coverage they may not use
Covered California enrollment fell 2.7% following the end of enhanced federal premium assistance. That’s better than expected, but many people are making concessions to afford staying insured.
Here's how much Californian families spend on health care
Premiums and deductibles now take a significant share of median family income.
Tom Steyer is running as ultimate unicorn: a billionaire populist
In running for governor, Tom Steyer’s gambit is that Californians believe a billionaire can be a savior — a real populist who actually can help working people.
Tens of thousands of Californians pay more for health insurance this year after subsidy cuts
Tens of thousands of middle-class Californians now face higher health insurance premiums after Congress let enhanced federal subsidies expire Dec. 31.
Listen: What happens when mentally ill Californians refuse to be treated?
One of Gov. Newsom's signature mental health programs was meant to bring treatment to people who refused it. So far, it's helping fewer Californians than many hoped.
'California Politics 360' full episode | Former Vice President Mike Pence talks immigration, tariffs
Edie Lambert talks with Mike Pence about his thoughts on immigration enforcement in California, the fight over representation in Congress and the impact of tariffs on Californians.
Californian tech company to move headquarters to Florida
D-Wave Quantum Inc. said it will relocate its headquarters to Boca Raton, Fla., before the end of the year.
Thousands of Californians move to Idaho every year. Who are they?
They’ve faced, at times, a chilly welcome from Idahoans. What the data tell us about the state’s largest group of newcomers.
What Newsom's final State of the State will say about his 2028 run
What Gov. Gavin Newsom says in his final State of the State speech Thursday will tell Californians a lot about his priorities for his last year in office, Joe Garofoli writes.