Latest California Healthline Stories
Bill To Add IT Experts to Calif. Exchange Board Fails To Advance
A bill that would have expanded the Covered California board and called for two of its members to be IT experts has been held back by a state Senate panel. The bill was proposed after the state health insurance exchange’s website experienced several technical glitches during its open enrollment period. KCRA.
California Grants $75M for County Mental Health Care Programs
On Thursday, California officials announced that the state has approved $75 million in funding to expand health care services to individuals with mental health issues. A total of 20 grants were awarded to 28 counties to add mental health and crisis “stabilization” beds, staff mobile support teams and purchase support vehicles. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
UC-San Francisco Children’s Hospitals To Start Campaign Targeting Global Premature Birth Epidemic
UC-San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospitals are launching a 10-year, $100 million campaign to address premature births, or births before 37 weeks of pregnancy, around the world. The campaign — which will examine the behavioral, biological and social factors that contribute to the issue — is being funding by San Francisco philanthropists Marc Benioff and Lynne Benioff and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and will involve other major organizations, such as the March of Dimes and NIH. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Calif. Groups Pick Sides Over Hospital Charity Care Bill
Several California unions — including the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West — along with the California Primary Care Association, the Congress of California Seniors and other groups are throwing their support behind a bill that would require not-for-profit hospitals to spend 5% of their revenue on charity care. Meanwhile, the California Hospital Association, Adventist Health and the California Chamber of Commerce oppose the measure. Sacramento Business Journal.
On Thursday, the California Senate Health Committee advanced a measure that would require criminal background checks for owners or medical directors of rehabilitation clinics participating in the Drug Medi-Cal Treatment Program. Meanwhile, another bill being considered by the state Legislature would apply a “high risk” classification to all Drug Medi-Cal clinics — a move that would require stricter screening for employees. Center for Investigative Reporting.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of April 25, 2014
This week, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center announced it will begin screening all hospital patients for clinical depression. UCLA has agreed to pay $10 million to settle allegations that the university knowingly permitted physicians to accept industry payments that could have harmed patient care.
Loma Linda Approves New Veteran Health Center
On Tuesday, the Loma Linda City Council approved the construction of a new outpatient veterans’ health care center. Building is expected to begin in May, and the center is slated to open in March 2016. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
4.5% of San Diego Kindergartners Are Missing Vaccinations
On Wednesday, San Diego County health officials said that about 4.5% of county kindergarten students had not received at least one of the 14 recommended vaccinations. Many of the children’s parents had filed a “personal belief exemption” to avoid having to obtain the vaccinations. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Thousands in L.A. Left Uninsured After Faulty Medi-Cal Transition
About 5,000 individuals who were supposed to be transitioned in January to Medicaid from a Los Angeles County health plan for low-income residents were left uninsured because of errors during the transition. Officials say about half of the cases have been resolved. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
CBO Reduces Projections for States’ Medicaid Expansion Costs
In an updated estimate, the Congressional Budget Office says states that expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act will spend $46 billion on the expansion, which is about 34% lower than CBO’s February estimate. It is unclear whether the revised estimate will sway states that remain undecided about expanding their Medicaid programs. New York Times, CQ HealthBeat.