CalPERS Class-Action Lawsuit Over Long-Term Care Insurance Fees Moves Forward
Today's other public health stories from around the state cover the expansion of a genomics project at the Rady Children’s Institute, Oceanside medical marijuana regulations and Costa Mesa funding for an inspector for sober-living and group homes.
Sacramento Bee:
CalPERS Faces Court Fight Over Long-Term Care Fees
The lawsuit challenges a sharp increase in fees that the California Public Employees’ Retirement System levied on people who bought insurance for long-term health care through the pension fund. It argues that the rate hike was different in scale and purpose than any previous fee increase on those policy holders. (Ashton, 6/22)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Rady Children's Ambitious Genomics Expansion To Start In Orange County
Soon, couriers will drive infant blood samples 90 miles south down Interstate 5 from Orange County to San Diego for high-speed genetic sequencing and analysis at the Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine. The organization, which recently built its own hot rod genetics lab that can do full DNA work-ups in days instead of weeks, announced this week that it has made a pact with Children’s Hospital of Orange County, offering quick-turnaround service for infants in that facility’s intensive care units who need the speed. (Sisson, 6/23)
KPBS:
Oceanside Considering Medical Marijuana Regulations
An Oceanside committee tasked with coming up with new medical marijuana regulations met Monday, the first of seven planned hearings. The sale of recreational marijuana was approved by California voters last year, and will go into effect in January 2018 unless local cities decide to ban it. (St John and Lipkin, 6/22)
Orange County Register:
Costa Mesa Plans To Fund $125,000 For State Sober-Living Home Inspector
As sober-living and group homes continue to sprout up in Costa Mesa, the city is grappling with ways to regulate the facilities and address complaints from residents and business owners who view them as a threat to neighborhoods. In an effort to create better oversight of the drug and alcohol treatment centers within its borders, the city plans to set aside $125,000 from its 2017-18 budget to fund a state employee to inspect its state-licensed homes, which are exempt from the city’s sober-living ordinances. (Casiano Jr., 6/22)