Latest California Healthline Stories
Residents of Southeast L.A. County Will Test State’s Enrollment Efforts
Observers say that efforts to enroll residents of Bell and Cudahy in health coverage through Covered California could be difficult for several reasons, including that local political scandals have fueled distrust in government and that there is a shortage of enrollment counselors in the area. Kaiser Health News.
Report: California Earns ‘C’ Grade for Physician Quality Data
A report released today by the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute finds that there is not enough accessible information on the quality of physicians in California. The report gave the state a “C” grade for the accessibility of such data, noting that it scored 45 of 100 possible points. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules” et al.
White House To Allocate $100M To Boost Mental Health Care
Today, Vice President Biden is set to announce $100 million in new government funding to help boost mental health care programs and expand access to such care. Biden will make the announcement during a meeting with families of victims of last year’s mass-casualty shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. Reuters et al.
California’s Property Crime Has Increased Because of State Prison Realignment, Study Says
California’s prison realignment plan has caused property crime in the state to increase significantly, according to a report from the Public Policy Institute of California. In 2006, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson ruled that federal oversight of the state’s prison health care system was needed after determining that an average of one inmate per week died as a result of medical malpractice or neglect. To help curb prison overcrowding, the state implemented a plan by Gov. Brown to send inmates convicted of lower-level crimes to county jails. The report finds that nearly 18,000 offenders are no longer in jail or prison as a result of the reform plan Sacramento Bee‘s “Sacto911” et al.
California ranks 23rd nationwide in tobacco-use prevention program spending, according to an annual report from a group of anti-smoking organizations. The report — authored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Lung Association and other organizations — finds that the current California budget provides $64.8 million for tobacco-use prevention programs, while CDC recommends that the state spend $440 million annually on such programs. Orange County Register.
UCSF Wins $9.45M Federal Grant To Study Alternative Treatments for Prostate Cancer
UC-San Francisco has won a $9.45 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop new treatment approaches for prostate cancer. The three-year grant will help researchers test a new risk-prediction model to better identify the likely course of the disease in specific patients, helping move toward a “clinical management” approach to care and away from surgery and chemotherapy, UCSF officials said. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
23andMe To Refund DNA Kit Cost Following FDA Letter
California-based 23andMe has decided to offer refunds to certain customers who have purchased its DNA test kits. On Nov. 22, FDA sent 23andMe a warning that said the company was advertising the kits “without market clearance or approval in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.” Last week, 23andMe announced that it has stopped providing consumers with the kits. Now, the company said that it will provide full rebates for the $99 that customers paid after FDA issued the warning letter. U-T San Diego.
Poll: Majority Want ACA To Be Repealed, Scaled Back
Fifty-two percent of U.S. residents want the Affordable Care Act to be scaled back or repealed, according to a recent Gallup poll of 1,017 adults conducted between Dec. 3 and Dec. 4. Seventeen percent of respondents said they think the ACA should be left as is and another 20% said the law should be expanded. In October, 50% of respondents to a similar poll said they wanted the law to be repealed or scaled back. Politico, Washington Post‘s “Post Politics.”
CMS Knew SHOP Would Not Be Ready on Oct. 1, Emails Show
Emails exchanged between CMS officials and federal contractor CGI Federal indicate that senior officials knew nearly two months ahead of time that the Affordable Care Act’s federal Small Business Health Options Program website would not launch in its full capacity on Oct. 1. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
Medical Pricing Transparency Saves CalPERS $2.8M, Report Finds
A report by the Center for Studying Health System Change finds that a program to inform patients about the cost of knee and hip replacements has saved CalPERS $2.8 million over the course of two years. In addition, patients have decreased their cost sharing by $300,000 under the initiative. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules.”