Latest California Healthline Stories
CMS Data Show Mixed Results From Medicare ACO Programs
Yesterday, CMS released data on three accountable care organization initiatives that saved a total of $380 million in the first year. CMS officials touted the data as a sign of improvement, but some experts called the results mixed and said there is little incentive for other groups to become ACOs. USA Today et al.
Concerns Raised Over Exchange Workers With Criminal Records
Covered California data show that more than 30 individuals with criminal records — including some with convictions for finance-related crimes — were hired as enrollment counselors by the exchange. Two Republican lawmakers are calling for a hearing over the exchange’s hiring practices. Los Angeles Times‘ “Money & Co.”
Anthem To Increase Premiums by Up to 25% for Grandfathered Plans
Some Anthem Blue Cross policyholders with grandfathered health plans purchased before the Affordable Care Act was enacted could face premium hikes of up to 25% starting on April 1. Anthem defended the increases and noted that consumers also have the option to switch to an ACA-compliant plan. Los Angeles Times.
Calif.’s Waxman Retiring After 40 Years in Congress
On Thursday, Rep. Henry Waxman — a champion of the Affordable Care Act — announced he will retire at the end of 2014 after 40 years on Capitol Hill. During his time in office, Waxman worked to expand Medi-Cal, helped to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program and supported the Ryan White Care Act, which provides health care to individuals with HIV and AIDS. Kaiser Health News et al.
California AG Sues Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Over Delayed Response to Data Breach
On Jan. 23, California Attorney General Kamala Harris filed a lawsuit against Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, alleging that the company violated the state’s breach notification law. Kaiser in 2011 learned that an external hard drive that included employees’ personal data — including Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses — was sold at a thrift store, but it did not notify affected individuals until March 2012. Law 360, FierceHealthIT.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of January 31, 2014
Mercy General Hospital has laid off an undisclosed number of employees. San Francisco General Hospital officials have revealed that four hospital employees examined, without authorization, the medical records of a patient who went missing and was later found dead.
UCLA Researchers Develop Heart Failure ‘Risk Calculator’
UCLA researchers have created a “risk calculator” to determine heart failure patients’ chance of survival for up to five years. The calculator aims to help providers determine how aggressively to treat such patients. The researchers used data on 2,255 heart failure patients to create the calculator. HealthyCal.
Calif. Institute for Regenerative Medicine Awards $40M to Stanford To Boost Genomics Research
On Wednesday, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine awarded $40 million to the Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine to boost genomic research in an effort to better understand diseases and improve drugs and treatments. Four other institutions were vying for the money, including UC-San Diego and UC-San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee.
Support for ACA Declines, KFF Tracking Poll Finds
Forty-seven percent of respondents to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s January 2014 tracking poll had an unfavorable opinion of the Affordable Care Act, up from 43% in the December 2013 tracking poll. Meanwhile, 24% of uninsured respondents had a favorable view of the ACA, down from 36% in December. However, 55% of all respondents suggested that further debate on the law should shift from repealing it to how to improve it. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules” et al.
Survey: About Half of Likely Voters in California Support ACA
A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California finds that 51% of likely voters in California support changes under the Affordable Care Act, while 45% oppose such changes. Meanwhile, 75% say they support Gov. Brown’s fiscal year 2014-2015 budget proposal, which includes funding for the Medi-Cal expansion. U-T San Diego et al.