Latest California Healthline Stories
Obama Administration Seeks New HealthCare.gov Contractor
The Obama administration plans to hold a competition aimed at finding companies interested in running the federal health insurance exchange after CMS’ one-year contract with Accenture expires in January 2015. CMS says it is particularly interested in small businesses run by women, veterans and “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.” New York Times, Modern Healthcare.
Polls: Enrollment Surges Do Little To Sway Public Opinion of ACA
A new Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows that a recent surge in health insurance exchange enrollment has had little effect on public opinion of the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, a survey by a Democratic pollster finds that more residents living in battleground election districts in the South favor repealing the ACA than did in December 2013. Modern Healthcare et al.
ACA Expands Health Coverage to Residents Formerly in Foster Care
Young adults in California who previously were in foster care can more easily obtain health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, which allows such individuals to remain Medicaid beneficiaries until age 26. Experts say that former foster care recipients often have health problems, such as mental illnesses or substance use disorders. HealthyCal.
A woman has filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Blue Shield of California for failing to cover reconstructive breast and eyelid surgeries despite “normal appearance” tests that allow the procedures. In the lawsuit, Lisa Burton argues that the insurer’s refusal to cover the procedures violates a section of the California Health & Safety Code, which requires health plans to cover reconstructive surgeries when it “will either resolve a functional problem or create a normal appearance.” Courthouse News
Some Ventura County Doctors Decide Not To Accept Covered California Health Plans
Some health care providers in Ventura County have chosen not to accept health insurance sold through the state exchange because of low reimbursement rates, while other doctors who thought they were included in exchange networks later found out they were not. As a result, some county residents will have to choose between switching providers or paying out of pocket for health services. Ventura County Star.
State Sen. Lara: Expanding Health Coverage to Undocumented Immigrants Is an Investment
In an opinion piece, state Sen. Ricardo Lara argues that a bill he recently introduced to provide health coverage to undocumented immigrants in California would “build on the vision and promise of the Affordable Care Act and make health for all a reality” in the state. Lara adds “investing in immigrant families is investing in our state,” noting that undocumented residents make up nearly 9% of the state workforce. Huffington Post.
Federal health policies that aim to financially reward or penalize providers based on the quality of care they provide patients might be fundamentally flawed because they do not make allowances for “sociodemographic factors,” according to a 26-member expert panel created by the not-for-profit National Quality Forum. Specifically, the panel found that current payment policies unintentionally penalize providers who treat a high rate of low-income patients by failing to account for the difficulties of treating such patients successfully. New York Times.
UC-Davis Cancer Center Urging Hepatitis B Testing Among Sacramento’s Asian Population
The UC-Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is urging the Asian community in Sacramento be undergo screening for hepatitis B. Moon Chen, a hemotologist and oncologist at UC-Davis, said approximately 10% of Asians have the disease, and 80% of those individuals likely will develop liver cancer. The university is running public service messages about hepatitis B testing in Chinese, Hmong, Korean and Vietnamese. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
Ore. Exchange Votes To Switch to Federal Site
On Friday, the Covered Oregon board of directors voted to close down its exchange website and instead use the federal exchange site, HealthCare.gov. Oregon’s health insurance exchange site is the only state-operated system so plagued by technological glitches that no state residents have been able to enroll in coverage online. CMS will meet with state officials to determine the next steps of the transition.
Sen. Boxer: Calif. Hospitals Take Steps To Reduce Medical Errors
A new report from Sen. Barbara Boxer finds that many acute care hospitals in California are taking steps to prevent common medical errors, such as adverse drug events and surgical site infections. Boxer said she plans to distribute the report to hospitals throughout the state, adding that she hopes it “will drive improvements.” Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now” et al.