Latest California Healthline Stories
Slight Majority of U.S. Residents Disapprove of ACA, Poll Finds
More than half of respondents to a Pew Research Center poll say they disapprove of the Affordable Care Act, while about 41% say they approve of the law. However, a majority of those who dislike the ACA say they want lawmakers to try to make the law work. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
UC Medical Schools Aim To Cut Up to $150M From Budgets
As part of a broad initiative to cut costs and improve efficiency at the University of California, up to $150 million will be cut from the budgets of five UC medical centers. The effort will focus on cutting costs in clinical laboratories, revenue cycle and supply chain. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk,” UC release.
Long Wait Times Continue at Covered California Call Centers
Half of consumers who attempted to contact a Covered California call center for insurance exchange enrollment assistance ultimately abandoned their efforts after getting a busy signal or waiting for long periods of time. Meanwhile, enrollment counselors are criticizing the exchange over delays in their commission payments. Los Angeles Times‘ “Money & Co.,” Fresno Bee.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of March 21, 2014
UC-Davis Medical Center has launched a state-funded umbilical cord blood collection program designed to aid transplantation and medical research. Three members of the Natividad Medical Center’s board of trustees have announced their resignation, citing frustration with the slow pace and practices of the county government.
TB Cases Up 7% in L.A. County, Mainly Among Homeless
On Thursday, California public health officials reported that the number of tuberculosis cases in Los Angeles County rose from 625 in 2012 to 666 in 2013 — a 7% increase. Jonathan Fielding, director of the county Department of Public Health, said the increase in cases mainly stems from a growing number of TB cases among homeless individuals. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Researchers from Stanford University and 11 other organizations have used gene sequencing and social media to discover a new childhood genetic disorder called NGLY1 deficiency, which can cause abnormal physical movements, delays in development, liver problems and a lack of tears. The findings were published Thursday in the journal Genetics in Medicine. San Francisco Business Times‘ “BiotechSF.”
DOJ Asks Court To Dismiss Lawsuit Against ACA Subsidies for Lawmakers, Staff Members
The Department of Justice this week asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit that argues the Obama administration overstepped its authority by subsidizing a portion of health insurance for congressional lawmakers and certain staffers who must buy coverage through the exchanges. In the motion to dismiss the filing, DOJ attorney James Luh wrote that “personal offense or indignation” does not provide Sen. Ron Johnson — who filed the lawsuit — adequate grounds to sue, particularly because it was only a “generalized grievance” and not a “‘concrete and particularized’ injury.” USA Today.
S.F. Supervisors Approve New Restrictions on E-Cigarettes
On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to apply the same regulations that govern regular tobacco products to electronic cigarettes. The decision means that e-cigarettes will be banned from use in most public locations, retailers will have to obtain a special permit to sell the devices and e-cigarettes cannot be sold where tobacco sales are banned, such as pharmacies. AP/Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle.
Ventura County Health Care Agency Authorized To Sell ACA-Compliant Small Group Plans
On Tuesday, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors said that the county Health Care Agency could begin offering small business insurance plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act. The Ventura County Health Care Plan will administer the coverage. Ventura County Star.
About 12M More People Eligible for Statins Under New Guidelines
An analysis by researchers at the Duke University Clinical Research Institute finds nearly 50% of people ages 40 to 75 would become eligible to take heart disease-fighting statins under guidelines that were issued last year by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. AP/U-T San Diego.