Oakland health update: Highland Hospital layoffs debated, insurance enrollment numbers, and measles exposure notice

ByWeence

Oakland, CA – March 3, 2026 – Highland Hospital layoff talks, Kaiser labor update, Covered California enrollment totals, and a Bay Area measles alert.

Oakland’s public safety-net hospital system is facing renewed scrutiny as county leaders weigh how to slow or suspend planned job cuts at Alameda Health System, which runs Wilma Chan Highland Hospital.

Highland Hospital: county leaders discuss ways to pause layoffs

KQED reported Feb. 25 that Alameda Health System’s latest proposal would cut 187 positions (211 individuals), reduced from earlier plans, as the network braces for large Medicaid revenue reductions tied to federal policy changes. Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley said the system may need roughly $44 million to $52 million to hold back layoffs for a year, and county officials discussed near-term funding to delay cuts while longer-term planning continues.

Alameda Health System told KQED it expects to run out of funds within about six months, by August 2026, if it does not reduce costs. The proposed cuts could affect clinical and support roles and would also eliminate some outpatient behavioral health services, according to the report.

Kaiser labor update: bargaining continues after strike called off

In a Feb. 27 update, Kaiser Permanente said UNAC/UHCP accepted a 21.5% across-the-board wage offer and called off its open-ended strike, with local bargaining continuing on remaining site-specific issues. The company said most local tables had reached agreement, while talks continued at a smaller number of tables.

Health insurance: Covered California closes 2026 open enrollment

Covered California said Feb. 26 that 1,927,371 people signed up for or renewed marketplace coverage for 2026, including nearly 1.7 million renewals and 235,055 new plan selections. The exchange said new enrollment fell compared with last year as enhanced federal tax credits expired, while California state subsidies helped keep renewals steadier for the lowest-income consumers.

The agency said special enrollment remains available for people who experience qualifying life events, such as losing job-based coverage.

Outbreak watch: Bay Area measles exposure notice

The Santa Clara County Public Health Department announced Feb. 27 that an adult resident with measles, recently returned from international travel, visited a Panda Express in Burlingame while infectious. The department listed possible public exposure windows on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 1453 Burlingame Ave. Officials said Santa Clara and San Mateo counties are working with the state to identify and contact people who may have been exposed.

Sources

https://www.kqed.org/news/12074462/alameda-county-officials-look-to-stave-off-mass-hospital-layoffs-as-medicaid-cuts-loom
https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/who-we-are/labor-relations/alliance-national-bargaining/videos/important-progress-made-alliance-local-bargaining
https://www.coveredca.com/newsroom/news-releases/2026/02/26/as-enhanced-federal-subsidies-expire-covered-california-ends-open-enrollment-with-state-subsidies-keeping-renewals-steady-for-now-and-new-signups-down/
https://publichealth.santaclaracounty.gov/news/news-release/public-health-announces-measles-case-santa-clara-county-resident

If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.

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