Latest California Healthline Stories
Sebelius Updates House Lawmakers on HealthCare.gov
During a House committee hearing yesterday, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius updated lawmakers on repairs to HealthCare.gov and announced that she has ordered an investigation of the rocky rollout of the federal health insurance exchange website. In related news, health care analysts say they expect to see a surge in enrollment in the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges. Washington Post et al.
Report Ranks California 21st Among States for Overall Health
A new report ranks California the 21st healthiest state in the U.S., citing low rates of infant mortality, low adult smoking rates and other factors. However, the report notes that California also has a significant number of uninsured residents and is experiencing more air pollution than any other state. U-T San Diego, America’s Health Rankings report.
Judges Grant Two More Months To Reduce Calif. Prison Population
Yesterday, a panel of federal judges gave California two additional months — until mid-April 2014 — to meet a court-ordered cap on the state prison population that aims to improve inmate health care services. The judges also extended until mid-January 2014 negotiations between Gov. Brown’s administration and prisoner advocates. Reuters et al.
Pérez Unveils FY 2014-2015 Budget Blueprint That Would Raise Medi-Cal Reimbursements
Assembly Speaker John Pérez has unveiled a fiscal year 2014-2015 budget blueprint that appears to spend most of the state’s projected surplus. According to Pérez, the new spending would include raising Medi-Cal reimbursement rates and expanding the CalFresh food benefits program. Observers say the plan could conflict with Gov. Jerry Brown’s priorities to maintain the surplus. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Plaintiffs Attempt To Revive Antitrust Violation Lawsuit Against Calif.-Based Sutter Health
Plaintiffs are attempting to revive a class action lawsuit against Sutter Health that alleged the company violated antitrust laws by using anti-competitive practices in Northern California. In June, a San Francisco District Court judge dismissed the original lawsuit but allowed the plaintiffs to amend the complaint. The plaintiffs have hired new attorneys and filed an amended complaint. Sacramento Business Journals.
Kaiser Lowers Mortality Rates Through Data Analytics Use
At VentureBeat’s Data Science Summit in Silicon Valley last week, Kaiser Permanente CMIO John Mattison said that data analytics is helping the health system lower mortality rates. He said, “Today you have a 26% lower chance of dying in one of our hospitals than you do in other hospitals.” Meanwhile, he predicted that by 2020 10 times more medical research will be produced by analyzing large amounts of medical data than by traditional clinical research methods. Wall Street Journal‘s “CIO Journal.”
Growing CalPERS, CalSTRS Health Care Costs a ‘Threat’ to State Budget, According to Editorial
An Orange County Register editorial argues that projected growth in medical costs through CalPERS and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System is a “threat” to California’s budget. The editorial notes that a recent state Legislative Analyst report found that retiree health spending is expected to double — to $3.3 billion — by fiscal year 2019-2020. “The medical costs are part of what Gov. Jerry Brown brands the state’s ‘wall of debt,'” the editorial states, concluding, “It looks like the retiree medical and pension crises will have to be addressed, in familiar California fashion, only after a budget crisis strikes.” Orange County Register.
Sebelius: OIG To Probe HealthCare.gov’s Rocky Rollout
On Wednesday, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that she has asked the HHS Office of Inspector General to begin an investigation into the problematic rollout of HealthCare.gov, with a focus on the performance of CMS. Sebelius also announced that CMS will create a chief risk officer who will review acquisition and contracting related to information technology and help monitor and mitigate risk in agency programs. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
250K Selected Private Plans via Federal, State Exchanges in November
The White House has released data that show about 250,000 U.S. residents selected health plans through the federal and state health insurance exchanges from Nov. 2 to Nov. 30. California has enrolled 107,087 individuals in private coverage since Oct. 1. Los Angeles Times et al.
Medi-Cal Clinics Recruit Long-Term Care Patients To Boost Billings
A recent investigation finds that some California rehabilitation clinics that participate in the Drug Medi-Cal Treatment Program have been using money and other incentives to lure board-and-care residents in an attempt to bill the program for more services. Center for Investigative Reporting.