Medical personnel working in the Emergency Room unit in the Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister on March 30, 2023. (Larry Valenzuela via CalMatters/CatchLight Local)

This was written by staff at the nonprofit newsroom CalMatters. It was republished by The Mendocino Voice in partnership with CalMatters to bring relevant nonpartisan news to Mendocino County readers. Learn more about CalMatters here.

SACRAMENTO, CA., 9/9/2026 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 office to curb that trend. Now, the California Office of Health Care Affordability is gaining new power to control costs.

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Ana B. Ibarra covers health care for CalMatters. Her reporting largely focuses on issues around access to care and affordability. She played a leading role in CalMatters’ coverage of the COVID-19...