Latest California Healthline Stories
House Republicans Release FY 2015 Budget Proposal
House Republicans have released their fiscal year 2015 budget proposal, which aims to curb government spending by $5.1 trillion over the next 10 years in part by privatizing Medicare and repealing the Affordable Care Act. The bill drew widespread criticism from Democrats and the White House. Modern Healthcare et al.
Complaint From Former Cal-OSHA Official Alleges Misuse of Funds
Yesterday, a former senior official with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health filed a whistleblower complaint with the state auditor alleging that the state Department of Industrial Relations has been misusing state and federal funds allocated for Cal-OSHA and is putting workers’ safety at risk. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Report Finds Racial Disparities in Kids’ Access to Health Education
A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds that African-American, Latino and American Indian children in California significantly lag behind Asian and white children in access to health and education opportunities. KQED’s “The California Report,” Stockton Record.
Medi-Cal Managed Health Care Plan Says ACA Has Led to Big Increase in Enrollment
Central California Alliance for Health, a not-for-profit Medi-Cal managed care health plan serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and Merced counties, reports that the Affordable Care Act has led to a significant increase in enrollment. According to the health plan, 11,000 new members enrolled in January and February, about 75% of the 15,000 new members expected for all of 2014. Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Stanford Researchers Recruit Adults With PTSD Symptoms for Mobile Health Application Study
Researchers at Stanford University are looking for individuals to participate in a three-month study of a smartphone application developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The participants, who must be at least 18-years-old and experiencing symptoms of PTSD but not receiving care, will be split into two groups and asked to complete online surveys to measure their PTSD symptoms. San Francisco Chronicle.
UC-Merced Research Initiative Examines Valley Fever
Researchers at UC-Merced’s Health Sciences Research Institute have launched an initiative to improve understanding of the well-being, health care experiences and coping mechanisms of California patients with Valley fever. The initiative will rely on structured interviews with between 50 and 150 families. Merced Sun-Star.
California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco has notified 198 patients that they might have been exposed to hepatitis, HIV and other blood-borne diseases between July 2010 and February 2014. The hospital said the affected individuals were treated with a rigid bronchoscope, laryngoscope or esophagoscope that were not properly sterilized. U-T San Diego, San Francisco Chronicle.
HHS Site Lists 900 Data Breaches Affecting 30.6M Patients
Between September 2009 and March 28, there were more than 900 large health data breaches — including dozens in California — affecting more than 30.6 million U.S. residents, according to HHS’ “wall of shame” website, which include breaches affecting more than 500 individuals. Lost or stolen devices that were unencrypted account for the majority of the breaches on the wall. GovInfoSecurity.
More Glitches on HealthCare.gov; Obama Says Enrollment Will Hit 7M
On the final day of the initial open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges, heavy traffic to HealthCare.gov caused website problems. Following the recent bump in enrollment, President Obama said that enrollment could reach the Congressional Budget Office’s original estimate of seven million individuals. New York Times et al.
Some Calif. Physicians Still Awaiting ACA’s Medi-Cal Pay Increases
Some California physicians who treat Medicaid beneficiaries still are waiting for a reimbursement increase established by the Affordable Care Act and slated to take effect in January 2013. The state Department of Health Care Services did not begin issuing the retroactive payments until November 2013, and much of the funding is now tied up in county-level managed-care plans. HealthyCal.