Los Angeles Times
Reporter for the Los Angeles TimesPROFILE
Duke Helfand
Guest
FROM Duke Helfand
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Blue Shield of California Hands Back Some Profits There's stunning news for individual policyholders with Blue Shield . California's largest nonprofit health insurer is making so much money — and paying so much to its CEO — that it's giving some back. Duke Helfand is writing the story for the Los Angeles Times .
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California Regulator Fines Insurers for Underpayment California's seven largest health insurance companies have been fined almost $5 million for late payments and underpayments to hospitals and doctors. The State Department of Managed Health Care says mistakes the companies regard as a "cost of doing business" could cause healthcare delivery "to grind to a halt." Duke Helfand is following the story for the Los Angeles Times .
To the Point
Insurers Drop Child-Only Policies as Obama Touts Health Reform New federal healthcare protections go into effect tomorrow. In a private back yard in Northern Virginia, President Obama listed some of the benefits . But some insurance companies already are fighting back. Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna and other say they'll stop selling policies for children rather than comply with new laws. Duke Helfand covers healthcare for the Los Angeles Times .
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Under Pressure, Anthem Drops Steep Rate Hikes As Congress was debating healthcare reform, Anthem Blue Cross raised insurance rates for 800,000 California customers by an average of 25%. President Obama seized the moment to push his program. Yesterday, those increases were cancelled . Anthem Blue Cross has been stung by California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, a Republican candidate for Governor, who said their rate-increase plan had " all kinds of methodological mistakes ." Duke Helfand is reporting the story for the Los Angeles Times .
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Lawmakers Probe Spike in Health Insurance Premiums Health insurance rates for as many as 800,000 policyholders will rise by as much as 39 percent under a plan announced by Anthem Blue Shield. California’s largest for-profit health insurer blamed rising healthcare costs for the hike, but lawmakers in Sacramento and Washington have called for hearings , and President Obama said this offers more evidence of the urgent need for healthcare reform. Duke Helfand is a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times .
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LA Episcopalians Shake Up Church with Election of Lesbian Bishop The Archbishop of Canterbury had stern words today for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, which has elected a lesbian bishop , the Rev. Mary Glasspool. The local church acted this weekend in Riverside, but Glasspool must be confirmed by a national body of church leaders. Archbishop Rowan Williams warned today, “that decision will have very important implications. Duke Helfand covers religion for the Los Angeles Times .
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Episcopal Church Opens Door to Gay Bishops America's Episcopalians are worried about the reaction of Anglicans worldwide, but they've extended their embrace of gay and lesbian relationships anyway. The Episcopal Church is the American branch of the Church of England , the world's third largest Christian denomination, 77 million strong. Duke Helfand has been covering this week's Episcopal General Convention in Anaheim for the Los Angeles Times .
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City Faces Budget Crunch and Expensive Gang Problem Between Echo Park and Eagle Rock last week, several schools were locked down into the evening while the LAPD shot it out with reputed members of the Avenues street gang. Yesterday, 19 alleged gang members were picked up in North Hollywood in a sweep involving some 200 officers.
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To the Point
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
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Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
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Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.