Latest California Healthline Stories
White House Officials Confirm HealthCare.gov Enrollment Extension
Obama administration officials are giving U.S. residents who faced technological issues enrolling in health plans through HealthCare.gov until mid-April to complete the coverage application process. Officials say applicants will not need to prove they had difficulties to be granted the extension. Washington Post et al.
CSU Project Aims To Boost Young Adult Exchange Enrollment
Enrollment in Covered California among young adults has been lagging since open enrollment began. In response, California State University has launched a program aimed at helping students and staff obtain health coverage through the state health insurance exchange. Kaiser Health News, CSU Health Insurance Education Project website.
Report: California Receives ‘F’ for Health Care Pricing Transparency
A report by the Catalyst for Payment Reform and the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute gives California a failing grade for its transparency of health care prices. The report suggests that the state create a central database of claims data from insurance companies, Medicaid, Medicare and dental and prescription drug plans. KQED’s “State of Health,” Modern Healthcare.
Calif. Physician Workforce Increases, but Regional Disparities Exist
A new report by the California HealthCare Foundation finds that the number of physicians in the state has increased by nearly 60% over the past 10 years. However, certain regions — including the Inland Empire and the San Joaquin Valley — face physician shortages. Central Valley Business Times, CHCF report.
Medical Simulation Labs Help L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Improve Trauma Care
Doctors and nurses at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles are using medical simulation labs to test methods for improving trauma care. Through the initiative, which is funded by a $4 million Department of Defense grant, the hospital developed an in-house iPhone application that displays an incoming patient’s vitals and details about the trauma, and helps doctors and nurses scattered throughout the hospital communicate via text message. AP/Sacramento Bee
Santa Clara County Outpaces Most States in TB Diagnoses
Santa Clara County has experienced a higher rate of tuberculosis diagnoses than the majority of U.S. states, with 181 known cases reported in the county last year. In response to the high rate of TB, the county will begin requiring public school students to undergo a “risk assessment” for the illness. Contra Costa Times.
Navy To Inspect 650 Treasure Island Homes for Radiation
On Monday, U.S. Navy officials announced plans to inspect all of the approximately 650 occupied homes on San Francisco’s Treasure Island for radiation. The move comes after a recent inspection detected radiation at an unoccupied building in the area. Center for Investigative Reporting, AP/Sacramento Bee.
UCSF Study: E-Cigarettes Do Not Help Smoking Cessation
Smokers who use electronic cigarettes are not significantly more likely than smokers who do not use the devices to quit using tobacco after one year, according to a study by UC-San Francisco researchers. After one year, about 10% of individuals who reported using e-cigarettes had successfully quit smoking, compared with 13% of smokers overall who were able to quit. KPCC’s “KPCC News,” MedPage Today‘s “The Gupta Guide.”
Medical Device Recalls Nearly Doubled in Past Decade
Enhanced medical device safety initiatives and closer interactions with manufactures were the main factors behind a nearly two-fold increase in the annual number of device recalls between 2003 and 2012, according to an FDA report released last week. The report was prepared in response to concerns raised by a 2011 Government Accountability Office report. Modern Healthcare.
Calif. IT Startups Focus on Consumers Signing Up for ACA Coverage
Health information technology startups in California are developing new products aimed at consumers who are signing up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Industry experts say that implementation of the law has given IT companies confidence that such services will remain marketable. San Francisco Chronicle.