- California Healthline Original Stories 4
- California Regulator Slams Health Insurers Over Faulty Doctor Lists
- Five Quick Ways New HHS Secretary Tom Price Could Change The Course Of Health Policy
- ‘Massive Confusion’ Abounds For Insurers As GOP Wavers On Obamacare Redo
- Dozens Of New Cancer Drugs Do Little To Improve Survival, Frustrating Patients
- Covered California & The Health Law 2
- California Touted As Model Of Success Under Affordable Care Act
- Musicians Fear A Return To Patchwork Coverage That Was Norm Before ACA
- Public Health and Education 2
- Officials Warn Californians Traveling To Mexico: Don't Get Complacent Over Zika
- Californians Are Trading In Their Evening Glass Of Wine For Marijuana
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
California Regulator Slams Health Insurers Over Faulty Doctor Lists
A new report finds that major insurers like Aetna and UnitedHealth submitted conflicting lists to the state that were off by thousands of doctors. (Chad Terhune, 2/10)
Five Quick Ways New HHS Secretary Tom Price Could Change The Course Of Health Policy
Tom Price will have significant authority to rewrite the rules for the Affordable Care Act. (Julie Rovner, 2/10)
‘Massive Confusion’ Abounds For Insurers As GOP Wavers On Obamacare Redo
Republicans’ delay in finding common ground to repeal and replace the health law raises risks that coverage could shrink and rates rise even more, the industry says. (Jay Hancock, 2/9)
Dozens Of New Cancer Drugs Do Little To Improve Survival, Frustrating Patients
The FDA has approved dozens of new cancer medications in recent years, but few offer the benefits that patients seek. (Liz Szabo, 2/9)
More News From Across The State
Covered California & The Health Law
California Touted As Model Of Success Under Affordable Care Act
A Brookings Institution analysis looked at why some states succeeded and others failed under the law.
Sacramento Bee:
California Gets High Marks On Running Health Care Exchange
California earns top marks as a model of how health care insurance exchanges can be run, according to a Brookings Institution analysis released Thursday. The report compared California’s state-run marketplace, Covered California, with health care exchanges under the Affordable Care Act in four other states: Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas. Some states, like California, embraced the mandatory health program, while Texas and Florida actively opposed it, the study noted. (Buck, 2/9)
In other news, Democrats in D.C. are using job loss numbers to put the heat on Republicans —
CQ Roll Call:
Democrats Hammer GOP With Study On Economic Impact Of Obamacare Repeal
In leading the debate on the fate of President Barack Obama’s health care law one day last month, Democrat John Yarmuth of Kentucky confronted Republicans by citing the potential losses in jobs, gross state product, business output, as well as state and local tax revenues if the law were to be repealed. The numbers, from a study by the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, sounded devastating on the House floor, but the authors acknowledged that they didn’t take into account any replacement for the law that Republicans might enact. (Rosen, 2/13)
Musicians Fear A Return To Patchwork Coverage That Was Norm Before ACA
Many people in the music industry had struggled to get proper coverage before the Affordable Care Act was passed.
Los Angeles Times:
For Music's 'Medical Refugees,' Obamacare Is A Lifeline Worth Protecting
Last April, doctors told David Ponder, a 57-year-old gospel musician living near San Diego, that his heart was going to fail. He had already had quadruple bypass surgery; without a full transplant he and his music would likely die within months. Three months later, with the help of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ MusiCares charity, he had a new heart. With it came a renewed faith in his music, his beliefs — and the necessity of the Affordable Care Act. (Brown, 2/9)
Zenefits Lays Off Nearly Half Of Its Remaining Workers
The troubled company has cut 70 percent of its staff since its height in September 2015.
Reuters:
Zenefits Cuts Nearly Half Its Workforce As Startup's Struggles Continue
Zenefits is laying off nearly half its staff as the software startup grapples with the fallout of insurance violations that resulted in hefty penalties from state regulators. The company, which offers free human-resources software to manage benefits and payroll while making its money as an insurance broker, said on Thursday that 430 employees would lose their jobs. That leaves 4-year-old Zenefits with about 500 employees, roughly a third of what it had a year ago. (Somerville, 2/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Zenefits Cuts Nearly Half Of Staff
In a memo to staff, the company’s new chief executive, Jay Fulcher, wrote that “in 2015, the company grew too quickly, hiring employees to support revenue projections that far surpass where we are today. Today’s action aligns our costs more closely to our business realities.” (Winkler, 2/9)
Modern Healthcare:
Zenefits Laying Off Nearly Half Of Its More Than 900 Employees
Zenefits faced accusations that it allowed unlicensed employees to handle insurance transactions and failed to meet insurance agent education requirements. It eventually paid $3.7 million to settle the charges. (Livingston, 2/9)
The Mercury News:
Zenefits Laying Off 430 Workers In Latest Cost-Cutting Move
The layoffs come days after a new CEO and chairman, Jay Fulcher, came on board, but a company spokesman said they were planned “for some time” by previous CEO David Sacks — who took the helm after Parker Conrad was forced to step down — plus other executives and the board of directors. Sacks, who said in December he would become chairman, remains on the board. (Sumagaysay, 2/9)
S.F. Supervisor Tries To Get In Front Of Threat To Birth Control
Supervisor Jane Kim wants to protect women's access to free birth control in case the president goes after that particular provision.
San Francisco Chronicle:
Kim Wants City To Ensure Access To Birth Control
Supervisor Jane Kim is working on legislation to require that San Francisco pick up the tab for birth control for any woman living in the city whose free prescription stands to be cut off under President Trump. While Trump has so far focused mostly on immigration policy and working himself into a lather over “Saturday Night Live” skits, Kim said she is bracing for an anticipated crackdown on birth control access from the new administration. (Knight, 2/9)
Officials Warn Californians Traveling To Mexico: Don't Get Complacent Over Zika
Many Mexican states with popular tourist destinations, including Baja California and Sonora, near the Arizona border, continue to see reports of local Zika transmissions.
Sacramento Bee:
Winter Travelers To Mexico Advised To Protect Against Mosquito-Borne Zika Virus
California health officials are again warning winter travelers headed for Mexico to take precautions against the Zika virus, after an Ensenada man was reported testing positive for the mosquito-borne disease. “Many Californians enjoy spending time in Mexico, and this news about local transmission just across the border emphasizes the importance for travelers to take precautions against mosquito bites,” said Dr. Karen Smith, director of the California Department of Public Health, in a statement. (Buck, 2/9)
In other public health news —
KPBS Public Media:
Old Faucets Taint Water At San Ysidro Schools
San Ysidro School District officials found heavy metals and bacteria at several water fixtures in the La Mirada elementary school. District officials said aging water faucets are to blame. Smythe Elementary and San Ysidro Middle School may have a similar problem, prompting authorities to shut off those taps as well while the district investigates. (Anderson, 2/9)
Californians Are Trading In Their Evening Glass Of Wine For Marijuana
A new survey shows that many are turning to marijuana to help them relax and de-stress at night.
The Cannifornian:
California Medical Marijuana Users Increasingly Turning To Vaping, Survey Says
Will that be an evening cocktail — or some cannabis — with your dinner tonight? According to a recent survey, more and more Californians with medical marijuana prescriptions are trading in their after-work glass of vino for the drug, often in vaporized form — something advocates say offers a convenient and tailored amount of pot...Fridays and Saturdays remain the most popular days of the week to place cannabis orders on the Eaze website, which are then fulfilled by a local medical marijuana dispensary, he said. But on weekdays, most orders are placed between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., peaking around 7 p.m. (Seipel, 2/9)
Price Confirmed As HHS Secretary Along Party Lines After Democrats Run The Clock Out
Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., has drawn scrutiny from Democrats about both his health care views and his stock trading.
Los Angeles Times:
Sharply Divided Senate Approves Trump's Pick To Be Health Secretary
Rep. Tom Price won Senate confirmation early Friday to be Health and Human Services secretary, overcoming bitter opposition from Democrats who have criticized the Georgia congressman’s calls to repeal the Affordable Care Act and scale back Medicare, Medicaid and other government safety net programs. Price is now expected to assume a leading role in helping guide the Republican effort to roll back the healthcare law, often called Obamacare, and to develop an alternative. (Levey, 2/9)
In other national health care news —
The Associated Press:
12.2 Million Sign Up For 'Obamacare' Despite Its Problems
More than 12.2 million people have signed up for coverage nationwide this year under the Obama-era health care law even with the uncertainty created by President Donald Trump's vow to repeal and replace it. A count by The Associated Press shows that many consumers returned to the program despite its problems. Aside from the political turmoil, those difficulties include a spike in premiums, rising deductibles and dwindling choice of insurers. (2/10)
The Wall Street Journal:
GOP Ramps Up Effort To Transform Medicaid Into Block Grants
Congressional Republicans are stepping up efforts to overhaul how Medicaid is funded, a move that could reduce the funds states receive while giving states more control over the roughly $500 billion program. House Republicans this week weighed bills on Medicaid eligibility that are widely seen as their first move toward a broader overhaul. (Levitz and Armour, 2/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Anti-Trump Crowds Rule At Republicans’ Town Halls
Town halls held by Republican Reps. Diane Black of Tennessee and Justin Amash of Michigan on Thursday also drew big numbers and tough questions. At earlier home-district events in states including Colorado, Florida, Virginia and California, GOP House members were surprised by rowdy crowds, often declaring support for the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans have vowed to repeal. The protests, some organized by activists, recall the opposition early in the Obama administration to that same Democratic-sponsored health-care law. That gave birth to the tea-party movement—a parallel not lost on some protesters. (Tau, 2/10)
The Wall Street Journal:
Anthem To Appeal Decision Against Cigna Deal
Anthem Inc. on Thursday appealed a federal judge’s decision to block its acquisition of Cigna Corp., but the future of the deal was unclear amid discord between the two partners. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said the proposed $48 billion deal between the two health insurers violated federal antitrust law because it would create an unacceptable reduction in the number of companies able to serve large multistate employers that offer insurance to their workers. (Wilde Mathews, 2/9)
Stat:
Cancer Drug Reports: No Link Between Benefit And Price
Cancer drugs have been under a critical lens for many years now — and for good reason, according to a duo of new papers. Two thirds of recently approved cancer drugs just don’t work all that well, particularly when compared to their cost, according to a report in the Annals of Oncology. Another notable conclusion: The paper found no improved benefit from personalized medicine drugs, and first-in-class drugs. (Keshavan, 2/9)
ProPublica:
How A Simple Fix To Reduce Aberrant Prescribing Became Not So Simple
Back in 2014, federal officials settled on what they thought would be a straightforward fix to curb abusive pill pushing: Require doctors and other health providers to register with the Medicare program in order to prescribe medications for beneficiaries. That way, the government could screen them and take action if their prescribing habits were deemed improper. Officials figured the modest change would barely ruffle the medical community: Doctors already had to fill out an application, have their credentials verified and enroll to get paid by Medicare for seeing patients, after all. (Ornstein, 2/10)
Viewpoints: If Trump Truly Wanted To Drain The Swamp, We Wouldn't Have Price
A selection of opinions on health care developments from around the state.
Los Angeles Times:
Trump Is Stocking His Cabinet With The Ethically Challenged. Case In Point: Tom Price
It’s bad enough that President Trump confined his Cabinet search to members of the 1%. But it’s particularly galling that his choice for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services — an agency vital to poor and infirm Americans — may have used his congressional office to expand his personal fortune. That nominee — Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), an orthopedic surgeon who has served on two House committees that help shape healthcare policy — invested in more than half a dozen healthcare-industry companies even as he took steps as a legislator that benefited them. That’s a clear conflict of interest, and if Trump honestly wanted to drain the swamp of self-serving elites in Washington, he would have withdrawn Price’s nomination as soon as Price’s investing habits came to light. (2/9)
Los Angeles Times:
Trump Needs To Be Careful In Deregulating The Drug Industry
In a recent meeting with pharmaceutical-industry bigwigs, President Trump declared that “we’re going to be cutting regulations at a level that nobody’s ever seen before.” He also said that “we’re going to have tremendous protection for the people.”It’s hard to see how he can do both. (David Lazarus, 2/10)
San Jose Mercury News:
No, Santa Cruz Is NOT Giving Away Free Meth To Keep Homeless Awake
No, the city of Santa Cruz is NOT considering whether to hand out free methamphetamine to homeless people. A flier is circulating around town, complete with city logo, announcing the City Council will consider the proposal at its upcoming meeting. It’s a hoax, surf city officials insist, spread by a group opposed to Santa Cruz’s controversial outdoor sleeping ban. (Prodis Sulek, 2/9)
Los Angeles Times:
Don’t Fulfill Trump’s False Depiction Of California As A ‘Sanctuary State’ For Undocumented Immigrants
President Trump has branded a California bill to restrict the role of state and local officials in deportations “ridiculous” — which, given the current state of affairs, gives the proposed legislation instant credibility. It is Trump’s sweeping deportation threats that are ridiculous and dangerous, and that make proposals like Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León’s SB 54 a part of the state’s arsenal to protect its residents and its economy. But as the bill’s details are being worked through, de León and his colleagues must take care not to turn California into the obstructionist jurisdiction that Trump and anti-immigration activists have falsely claimed it to be. (2/9)
Sacramento Bee:
Could California Be 'Healthcare Sanctuary' With Universal Coverage?
Citing efforts by a Republican-controlled federal government to repeal Obamacare, Bauman wrote in an op-ed article, “we cannot miss the historic opportunity the moment presents us: enacting single-payer healthcare into California. Let’s take that step and make California a healthcare sanctuary state.” He thus joins a long-list of California political figures – Democrats, mostly, but also two Republican governors – who long have advocated universal healthcare, similar to that in Canada and many European countries. (Dan Walters, 2/4)
Orange County Register:
Restoring The Health Care System For Small Businesses
The ACA requires businesses with 50 or more employees to provide their staff with coverage. But market pressure and conscientious employers mean that tens of thousands of businesses with fewer employees than this threshold also offer coverage. Given that small businesses employ roughly half of employees in the country, and provide livelihoods for 85 million people, this is an important concern. (Alfredo Ortiz, 2/9)
Modesto Bee:
Plans To Provide Universal Healthcare Coverage For All Californians Have Come Up Before
Citing efforts by a Republican-controlled federal government to repeal Obamacare, Bauman wrote in an op-ed article, “we cannot miss the historic opportunity the moment presents us: enacting single-payer healthcare into California. Let’s take that step and make California a healthcare sanctuary state.” He joins a long-list of California political figures – Democrats, mostly, but also two Republican governors – who long have advocated universal healthcare, similar to that in Canada and many European countries. (Dan Walters, 2/7)
Los Angeles Times:
In A Hopeful Sign, Republicans Are Finally Getting Around To 'Repairing' Obamacare -- Six Years Late
Over the last few days, the Republicans’ campaign against the Affordable Care Act has undergone a subtle shift in branding. They’re no longer talking about a strategy of “repeal and replace’: The new buzzword is “repair.” Close followers of GOP efforts to gut the law, which has brought health insurance to some 20 million Americans and protected millions of others from being denied coverage because of medical conditions, are skeptical that this signals a real change in the Republican caucus’s approach. (Michael Hiltzik, 2/6)
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Time Is Short For Petaluma Hospital Decision
As the clock continues to tick in a hasty process to secure a suitable operator for Petaluma Valley Hospital, we’re heartened to hear that the Petaluma Health Care District Board expects bids from three prospective partners interested in operating the 80-bed acute care facility. But are any of the bidders suitable candidates who can guarantee the continuance of high quality hospital care in Petaluma? For the last 20 years, St. Joseph Health has capably operated the city’s only acute care facility on a lease from the Petaluma Health Care District, the public entity that owns the hospital. Despite having spent more than a year negotiating the terms of a new lease, the district, under the guidance of its publicly elected board of directors, was unable to reach agreement with St. Joseph to continue managing the hospital. (2/6)