The Brief

California’s gubernatorial election is a year away, and the field of primary candidates is still taking shape. But one persistent issue has already emerged as a leading concern: the cost of health care.

At a forum Nov. 7 in the Inland Empire, four Democratic candidates vying to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to push back against Republican cuts to health care programs and to improve people’s access to medical care, including mental health services. But while some floated taxes, candidates were light on details about how they would bring down health care costs.

Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra promised to be California’s next “health care governor,” echoing Newsom’s commitment to lower costs and broaden access when he first got into office. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond pledged to create a single-payer health care system in which everyone is pooled into one program. Former state Controller Betty Yee said she would “build back better” from federal cuts and create a health care system tailored to California’s diverse communities.

And former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa vowed to fight to preserve safety net health care pared by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress, although he acknowledged the challenge given limited state resources.

“I’m not gonna sell you snake oil,” he said. “It is going to be tough to provide that care, but I’m absolutely committed to it.”

The candidates’ assurances come amid recent shifts in state and federal policies that, together with a variety of forces, are driving up the cost of health care and making it harder for people to obtain and maintain coverage. In addition to providers raising prices, other inflationary pressures include an aging population, rising chronic conditions, medical advancements, and new technologies, according to analysts. That’s added to a sense of financial precarity for the millions of Californians struggling with the state’s high cost of living and recent inflation spike.

Although the forum was open to up to six candidates, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter and entrepreneur Stephen Cloobeck declined to participate, citing scheduling or other factors, according to Jon Koriel, an event spokesperson.

Four Democratic candidates vying to be California governor appeared at a forum on health care on Nov. 7 in Riverside: (from left) former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former state Controller Betty Yee.

(

Leroy Hamilton

)

Health care top concern

A statewide poll commissioned by the California Wellness Foundation ahead of the Health Matters forum found that nearly 80% of likely voters worry about the cost of health care and that 72% think the next governor should prioritize capping out-of-pocket expenses. Access to affordable mental health care and being able to care for aging family members or friends were also top concerns. Perhaps in an early signal, voters last week in Santa Clara County passed a sales tax to help backfill federal cuts to food and health care safety net programs.

California mirrors much of the nation. Exit polls from the Nov. 4 election show 81% of those who voted for Democrat Abigail Spanberger, winner of the Virginia governor’s race, cited health care as the most important issue facing the state. In a national Reuters/Ipsos poll, health care was cited as the top everyday expense Americans want Congress to prioritize. And 65% of voters said an annual health cost increase of $1,000 would have some impact on their 2026 vote, according to a recent KFF poll.

Some Californians interviewed on Nov. 4, the day of the state’s special election, expressed disappointment in Newsom’s unmet promises on health care. Newsom, a Democrat who is mulling a presidential run as he wraps up his second term in January 2027, had campaigned on single-payer health care.

During his tenure he’s steered billions of dollars and engineered rules to help the neediest Californians afford and access health care. The state also expanded state-funded Medicaid coverage, known as Medi-Cal, to all eligible residents, regardless of immigration status. Medicaid provides free or low-cost health insurance to low-income and disabled people.

But this year, facing rising costs and budget deficits, Newsom and the Democratic-controlled legislature walked back some of that expansion by freezing enrollment for adults without legal status starting in 2026 and implementing premiums. They also resurrected an asset test for older adults and people with disabilities. Meanwhile, health care costs and homelessness remain a huge problem, and many Californians struggle to get basic medical care. And there’s no sign of a single-payer health care system, which Sacramento lawmakers have repeatedly failed to advance amid concerns about cost, including one estimate in 2017 of $400 billion annually.

“I remember him coming and speaking to our members and telling them that he was going to fight with them for single payer,” Michael Cusack, a 30-year-old former health care union worker from Oakland, said as he cast his ballot last week. “And I never saw him deliver on that campaign.”

Michael Cusack, a registered Democrat working at a national research lab in Oakland, California, says health care costs are top of mind for him as he weighs his vote next year, both for Congress and the governor’s race.

(

Christine Mai-Duc

/

Christine Mai-Duc

)

Paying for health care

Becerra, Thurmond, and Yee said they would be open to raising taxes to pay for health care programs. Villaraigosa sidestepped the tax question, saying his focus would be to “grow the pie” economically. Yee also suggested offering tax credits to help struggling families pay for health care and caregiving expenses.

During the forum’s lightning round, Becerra, Thurmond, and Yee also raised their hands when asked whether they supported single-payer care. Becerra said after the event that he doesn’t believe the state would receive support from the Trump administration for a single-payer system, but he said he would push for universal access to health care.

Indeed, all the candidates appeared mindful of Washington’s power over health care resources, even as they vowed to stand up to President Donald Trump, who has an especially adversarial relationship with Newsom.

“Let’s recognize that the federal government is our largest partner,” Becerra said. “We must work with them. We will not take a knee, but we must work with them.”

Currently, the biggest threats to health care costs and accessibility come from the federal government. Republicans in Congress have refused to give in to Democrats’ demand to extend premium tax subsidies for health insurance plans purchased on Affordable Care Act exchanges, the main issue that drove the government shutdown. Enrollees in Covered California, the state’s health insurance exchange, have received notices that their premiums will increase next year. On average, monthly premium payments for people receiving ACA subsidies are expected to double across the nation.

Laura Jones, a small-business owner in Oakland, currently pays the minimum possible for her Covered California plan, but she worries she wouldn’t be able to afford a major medical emergency. She thinks about one of her friends who recently suffered a stroke.

“The hospital bills were just so egregious,” Jones said. “How would I pay for that?”

Meanwhile, an impending $900 billion in federal Medicaid spending reductions under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and tighter eligibility restrictions are expected to push as many as 3.4 million Californians out of the program. More than a third of Californians are currently enrolled in Medi-Cal.

Oseoba Airewele, 29, of Ventura, a registered Democrat who previously worked as a software engineer, said Medi-Cal became a lifeline after he lost insurance through his job and needed mental health and dental care.

“If I were to lose it, I would be very concerned,” he said. “I’d be in a bad place.”

Oseoba Airewele stands next to a ballot box in Ventura, California, where he cast his vote in the Nov. 4 special election. Airewele enrolled in Medi-Cal after being laid off from his job as a software engineer. He says that coverage has been critical.

(

Claudia Boyd-Barrett

/

KFF Health News

)

People with employer-based health coverage also face steep price hikes. Family premiums for employer-based plans averaged almost $27,000 this year, up 6% from 2024, a new KFF report shows. Workers typically pay almost $7,000 of that, the report found. That doesn’t include other out-of-pocket expenses.

“Even though I have a job, it’s still really expensive to pay for the copays,” said Rheema Calloway, 35, a San Francisco independent.

Primary in June

Among the other Democratic candidates vying for governor in 2026, Porter has said she will make fighting federal cuts to Medicaid and Medicare a top priority, along with expanding and improving health care for all residents. Porter’s campaign suffered a blow after viral videos surfaced of her threatening to walk out of a CBS interview and berating a staff member. Former Assemblyman Ian Calderon has said he would protect access to Medi-Cal. And Cloobeck wants to fast-track housing construction.

Republican candidates include Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, a former Fox News contributor and policy adviser to David Cameron when he was Britain’s prime minister. Both have pledged to tackle affordability issues, especially housing costs.

Two other high-profile Democrats — former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla — have said they won’t run. Rick Caruso, a Republican-turned-Democrat and wealthy Los Angeles businessman, has yet to decide whether to run.

The California primary will be held June 2 and the general election on Nov. 3.

KFF Health News correspondent Christine Mai-Duc and ethnic media editor Ngoc Nguyen contributed to this report.

Master escape artist and world-famous entertainer Harry Houdini had been dead for decades by the time teenager Kevin Connolly sat down with his dad in their New Jersey home in the late 1960s to watch Houdini, the biopic with actor Tony Curtis in the title role.

“I'm so engrossed in the movie that I'm crying that he passed away. And my dad looks down at me and says, 'What's the matter, son?' I said, 'Houdini died,'" Connolly said.

His father then comforted him.

That experience with the movie and with his father sparked a five-decade-plus collector’s obsession in the teen that led him to amass thousands of items from Harry Houdini’s life and career.

The collection includes handcuffs owned by Houdini, a signed life-size portrait of Houdini in chains, a linen bag his wife, Bess Houdini, made him and a pocket watch she gifted him on his birthday in 1910, at the height of his career.

Signed Cabinet Card Photograph of Houdini in Chains.

(

Connolly Collection courtesy Potter & Potter Auctions.

)

“Engraved inside the cover is a very personal note from her to him that also contains a little hidden code in the inscription,” said Gabe Fajuri, president and principal auctioneer at Potter & Potter Auctions. The watch has the highest valuation of the items, with an estimate between $20,000 and $40,000.

The auction house has been displaying these 100 items at its Chicago offices and will transport them to the Magic Castle in Hollywood for display on Oct. 30 and the final auction the day after.

“ These are things that potentially have his DNA on them. These are things that Houdini himself owned, handled, used, treasured,” Fajuri said.

The auction marks two milestones: 100 years since Houdini's death and the winding down of 71-year-old Connolly's collecting efforts, which enriched his and his family’s life.

“It broadened our world, and it was nice to be recognized for your collecting abilities,” he said.

Connolly’s collection has turned him into a Houdini authority, attracting the attention of Houdini biographers, film documentarians, as well as museums and galleries.

Houdini was born in Hungary in 1874. He came to the U.S. as a young child and moved to New York with his father, a rabbi, at 13. He began performing as a magician four years later and shot to stardom on the vaudeville circuit with bold escape acts. There wasn’t a straitjacket, chains or ropes that he couldn’t escape.

Connolly admires how Houdini inspired a generation of immigrants with these stunning feats.

A photo of an escape stunt by Harry Houdini. It's the first Houdini item Kevin Connolly bought as a teen during his 50-plus years of collecting Houdini memorabilia.

(

Courtesy Kevin Connolly

)

One of those acts is captured in the very first Houdini item Connolly bought after watching that Houdini movie. It’s a photo of Houdini hanging upside down from a rope in front of a building, two stories up. His arms are bound to his body. Crowds look up from the street, staring at Houdini as he attempts to escape. “TORONTO OCT. 18/’16” is written along the bottom edge of the photo.

“That one is not in the auction,” he said. Oct. 18 is Connolly’s father’s birthday, which makes it special. Plus, “That would be probably the last one I'd let go, because that's the one that started it all.”

With Halloween approaching, a women’s walking group is helping Angelenos explore the city’s spooky and historic landmarks. Their next outing is Angelino Heights — home to century-old Victorian homes and an iconic piece of pop culture history.

Los Angelistas organizes weekly walks throughout Los Angeles. October draws some of its biggest crowds, according to the group. Earlier this month, the group visited the Spadena House in Beverly Hills for a witch-themed walk and explored Los Feliz for a murder-themed tour.

Members of Los Angelistas stand in front of the "Spadena House" in Beverly Hills in 2025.

(

(Jillian Goodman/Los Angelistas)

)

Exploring LA’s spooky side

On Nov. 1, the group heads to Angelino Heights, a tiny neighborhood next to Echo Park known for its Victorian homes.

“It has so much history, but also really beautiful, stunning Victorian architecture,” said Jillian Goodman, one of the group’s three co-founders. “It’s such a cool place that I don’t think many people know about.”

Some of the homes have been backdrops for films and TV shows, including Michael Jackson’s 1983 “Thriller” video — which will be a stop on the tour.

Los Angelistas visit the "Charmed" house while on a walk through Angelino Heights in 2024.

(

(Jillian Goodman/Los Angelistas)

)

Building friendship beyond the walks

Los Angelistas began in April 2023, when Goodman and a few women who met through another social club decided to continue spending time together through walks.

The group has since grown to more than 7,000 members, Goodman said. Its organizers live across L.A., allowing them to host events in neighborhoods like Brentwood, Mid-City and Glendale.

Goodman said the walks encourage women to discover parts of L.A. they might pass by without stopping.

“Everyone thinks of L.A. as a driving city. No one ever really stops and takes a breath,” Goodman said.

For Goodman, watching members build friendships that extend beyond the walks has been one of the most rewarding parts of the group’s growth.

“They go to each other’s weddings. They go to concerts. Seeing people connect, not just in the group, but then having that extend outside has been amazing to watch,” she said.

The group has also helped members support one another during devastating times. Amid last year’s Eaton and Palisades wildfires, some members helped others find places to stay, despite having only met on walks.

“I thought that was so beautiful and wonderful that without us they wouldn’t have known each other,” Goodman said.

A slew of Medicare Advantage plans are disappearing for next year, leaving seniors in many areas with fewer options. In 193 counties across the country, no plans are offered at all.

Medicare's annual open enrollment period kicked off October 15 and runs until December 7, and seniors enrolled in those privatized Medicare plans that are closing in certain markets should carefully review their options.

Medicare Advantage means private insurers run Medicare for older Americans who choose it over traditional Medicare, where the federal government itself administers the program. More than half of the 70 million Americans in Medicare choose Medicare Advantage. It's popular because it covers services like vision and dental, often with lower premiums than traditional Medicare. It also often folds in the "Part D" drug benefit, simplifying that decision.

But a downside of Medicare Advantage is that companies can pick and choose where they offer plans. If a certain community is not profitable, a company can leave that market. And that has been happening on an increasingly large scale the last three years, according to research published in JAMA.

Who is affected

Big swaths of rural America are losing Medicare Advantage choices and so are some major metro areas.

Last year, 2.9 million seniors were in Medicare Advantage plans that closed up shop, according to JAMA. This year, an analysis of insurance company announcements by An Arm and A Leg podcast, shows at least 2 million people will be affected. Other preliminary estimates range from 3.2 million to 5 million seniors. About 35 million people are enrolled in Medicare Advantage.

According to an analysis of federal data by the health policy research organization KFF, the 193 counties that will have zero Medicare Advantage plans are mostly rural. Last year that number was about 120 counties without a plan offered.

KFF's numbers also show that there will be far fewer plans offered in some metro areas. Dallas, Minneapolis, Seattle, Houston and Portland all have between a quarter and a third fewer Medicare Advantage plans for seniors.

What happens next

If your plan is ending, and you don't choose another, the insurance company will assign you to another Medicare Advantage plan or the government will enroll you in traditional Medicare — but without a supplemental or drug plan.

If you want to switch from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare and your plan is ending, you can enroll in a Medicare supplemental plan — also known as Medigap — without the same restrictions that you would normally have. If you have a pre-existing condition that has prevented you from enrolling in Medigap before, that could be good news.

Another wrinkle this year is that insurance companies can cap enrollments on some of the Medicare Advantage plans that they do offer.

Which means: If you wait to sign up, a plan you want might already be full.

The companies are supposed to enroll people on a first-come, first-serve basis — and not cherry-pick customers based on health conditions, age, or demographics.

Another reason not to delay is that with so many people on the hunt for new plans, it may take longer than usual to get help.

How and where to find help

Here are some tips for navigating Medicare open enrollment this year:

• Find out if your plan is still offered: First, check your mail. Medicare Advantage plans that are closing should have sent letters the first week in October. You can also log in to your account on Medicare.gov to check your plan's status for next year.
  
• Try calling your SHIP: There's a State Health Insurance Assistance Program — known as a "SHIP" — in every state to help seniors with Medicare. The name's not easy to remember or particularly descriptive, but it's free, mandated by the federal government, and the staff and volunteers are required to give you unbiased information on all available options. Find your state in the directory at shiphelp.org. Your county may have a specific number that you can find on your state's SHIP website.
  
• Look for local Medicare counseling services: Friends, family, leaders at your place of worship, and the constituent services of your local elected officials may have the scoop on where you can get one-on-one help. The nonprofit Medicare Rights Center also has a national helpline, and a well-organized library of online guides.
  
• Brokers can be helpful, but be savvy: You want a broker who's going to talk with you about all your options — including switching to traditional Medicare and a supplemental plan. Ask if they sell plans from all available insurance carriers. And ask if they answer questions about your plan year-round, because insurance never stops being confusing.
  
• Double check what you see on Medicare.gov: Medicare's Plan Finder allows you to search plans online. But lists of doctors and drugs that are covered can sometimes be wrong. To be safe, double check with your doctor's office or a SHIP counselor, broker, or other Medicare assistor.
  
• Don't share your personal information with services you find online: Be careful where you share your personal information like your phone number. Some online agencies will sell your information, leading to spam calls and potentially even scam artists.
  
• Be mindful of the deadlines: Open enrollment for Medicare runs October 15, 2026 through December 7, 2026. The coverage starts January 1, 2027. If your plan is ending, you qualify for a "special enrollment period" to give you a little more time — until February 28, 2027. (For coverage that starts January 1, 2027, enroll by December 31.)

Emily Pisacreta is the senior producer for An Arm and a Leg, a podcast about the cost of healthcare produced in partnership with KFF Health News and distributed by KUOW, Seattle's NPR member station. 

Copyright 2026 NPR

Federal prosecutors sent letters to county registrars across California on Friday demanding that local officials set aside and verify ballots that the Department of Justice said may belong to noncitizens, according to the Los Angeles County registrar and a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

The letters are the latest escalation in a legal battle between California and President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice, which has recently focused on the state in its efforts to root out noncitizen voting ahead of the midterm elections. Data shows illegal voting by people who aren’t U.S. citizens is incredibly rare, difficult to prove and has not been shown to change the outcome of races.

Earlier this month, the federal government targeted Los Angeles County and the California Secretary of State’s office in a lawsuit that aimed to block them from counting the votes of roughly 20,000 people who are “likely” noncitizen voters. A hearing on the case is scheduled for Tuesday.

The Trump administration asked the 9th Circuit court of appeals to rule on the lawsuit barring a decision from the district judge assigned to the case. They set a deadline for Saturday.

Now, according to the LA County registrar’s office, at least 18 counties across the state have received similar letters. They have been given a 48 hour deadline to provide identifying information corresponding with ballots that the federal government believes were sent to noncitizens illegally registered to vote. The letter requests that county officials also sequester any ballots where citizenship cannot be verified.

“Any election official who knowingly processes the ballot of a noncitizen is opening themselves to legal jeopardy,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli.

The Justice Department is asking counties to send information about the voters it suspects are noncitizens including social security numbers, ID information, a copy of their registration and more.

That information can help the government and state quickly assess each person suspected of illegally registering to vote, said the letter sent to San Bernardino County voting officials. The letter says the government’s list of suspected noncitizen voters includes 1,133 people from the inland Southern California county.

California’s secretary of state and the Los Angeles County registrar have opposed the federal government’s demands. In legal filings, lawyers for California say the request threatens to delay the certification of the vote and undermine the legitimacy of the November midterms. They have also argued that the federal government’s data is unreliable and that their demands risk disenfranchisement of citizens.

Voting is underway in California, with the state’s more than 23 million registered voters receiving ballots in the mail earlier this month. The state said in legal filings that over 330,000 mail-in ballots have already been counted.

The letters on Friday came on the heels of statewide sweep by federal authorities earlier in the week, where 28 people from the list of 20,000 were charged with illegally registering to vote. Some were also charged with illegally voting and lying on naturalization paperwork. Those charges could lead to years in prison.