Ninth Circuit Says Parental Consent Needed For Medical Exams Of Children In Protective Custody
The unanimous decision comes in a case from San Diego, where the county for years routinely conducted exams on kids who had been removed from the care of their parents because of suspected abuse or neglect.
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Federal Appeals Court Rules Against County Over Medical Exams Of Children — Again
A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that medical exams of children taken into protective custody by San Diego County and done without a court order and parental consent violate the constitutional rights of parents and children — a potentially sweeping decision that could affect counties across California and other states. (Moran, 10/31)
In other state health care news --
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. City Attorney Accuses E-Cigarette Companies Of Illegally Selling And Marketing To Minors
Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer on Wednesday announced his office is seeking injunctions against three California-based electronic cigarette companies, alleging that they sell vaping products without proper age verification and market tobacco products to underage youths. Investigators at the city attorney’s office were able to purchase vaping devices and nicotine liquids from the companies online using the email accounts of fictitious minors and paying with gift cards, Feuer said. (Panzar, 10/31)
The California Health Report:
State Made Billions In Questionable Medi-Cal Payments, Auditor Finds
California’s Department of Health Care Services paid at least $4 billion in Medi-Cal payments and claims for people who may have been ineligible for the health insurance plan, according to a state audit released this week. (Boyd-Barrett, 10/31)
Jefferson Public Radio:
Sexual Orientation Changes Health Care Outcomes In California
The quality of health care, and health itself, is different between gay and straight populations in California. And the Center for Health Policy Research at UCLA is trying to figure out why. People in the LGBT community often have health insurance, but don't appear to seek out health care as much as straight people. Surveys indicate discrimination is among the reasons. (Riley, Ehrlich and Baxter, 10/30)