Latest California Healthline Stories
Number of Homeless, Mentally Ill People in Alameda County Up 35%
A new report finds that the number of homeless individuals with a mental illness in Alameda County has increased by 35% in the past two years. Advocates speculate that the jump was caused by a lack of resources to aid homeless people or greater awareness of mental illness by homeless individuals interviewed for a census. Oakland Tribune/Contra Costa Times.
Insurers Partner With Local Providers, Build Narrower Networks
Some large insurers are collaborating with local health care providers to offer plans through Covered California that will cost less and have narrower provider networks. However, the partnerships could make it difficult for consumers to find a plan that includes their preferred doctors. U-T San Diego.
White House Confident in Nov. 30 Deadline To Fix HealthCare.gov
The White House is expressing confidence that HealthCare.gov will be fully functional for most U.S. residents by its self-imposed deadline of Nov. 30, despite a recent report that the site’s problems are not fixable within the next few weeks. Observers warn that the administration’s failure to meet the deadline could deter individuals from using the site and might result in additional political divisions. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
60K Enrolled Through Covered California So Far, Officials Say
Yesterday, California’s health insurance exchange announced that nearly 60,000 residents have signed up for insurance through Covered California. However, observers say the figures are far behind the state’s goal of enrolling at least 500,000 individuals who qualify for federal subsidies by the end of March 2014. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules” et al.
Editorial: Answers Needed To Explain Why Patients Were Left at Closed Long-Term Care Facility
A San Jose Mercury News editorial argues that the state Department of Social Services must explain how Valley Springs Manor left 19 residents behind after it was shut down by the department and why the public should trust that such an incident will not happen again. The authors wrote, “The department is said to be reviewing internal procedures, but from the paper record available so far, this looks less like a breakdown in procedure than an utter failure of common sense.” San Jose Mercury News.
L.A. County Nutrition Program Aims To Train 6K Child Care Providers About Healthy Eating Habits
A $6.1 million Los Angeles County initiative aims to train 6,000 child care providers about healthy eating habits during a four-year period to improve preschoolers’ nutrition and physical activity. The program — funded by the county Department of Public Health and First 5 LA — also will provide one-on-one coaching. KPCC’s “Pass/Fail.”
Kaiser Reports Higher Revenue, Lower Net Income in Q3
Kaiser Permanente has reported a $13.2 billion in revenue for the third quarter of 2013, a 5.6% increase from $12.5 billion in Q3 2012. However, Kaiser’s net income decreased by more than 20% from $803 million in Q3 2012 to $635 million this year. The health system took a $124 million loss following its decision to halt operations in Ohio, according to officials. Payers & Providers.
Clinton: Obama Should ‘Honor’ Health Coverage Promise
During an interview Tuesday, President Clinton advised President Obama to keep his promise about allowing U.S. residents to keep their existing health plans under the Affordable Care Act, even if it means altering the law significantly. Clinton said, “I personally believe, even if it takes a change to the law, the president should honor the commitment the federal government made to those people and let them keep what they got.” However, Clinton acknowledged that some consumers might be able to obtain better coverage if they switched plans, even if they faced higher premiums. Wall Street Journal et al.
Analysis Finds Competition Varies Widely in Federal Exchange, Could Compromise Affordability
Some counties in the 34 states that rely on the federally run health insurance exchange have nearly 30 times the number of available coverage plans as other areas, according to a USA Today analysis. The discrepancies result from insurers’ hesitancy to move into areas where they have not already established a market presence. The analysis suggests that some regions might lack the competition necessary to keep coverage affordable. USA Today.
CMS To Urge 275K Consumers To Resume Exchange Applications
The Obama administration is launching an email campaign inviting back consumers who got stuck in the account creation step of the coverage application process on HealthCare.gov. In related news, Enroll America plans to reformulate its campaign in December to complement the rollout of the improved federal health exchange website. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.