Latest California Healthline Stories
Nearly 100K Households Have Begun Applying for Covered Calif. Plans
As of Saturday, 94,500 households had begun applications for health plans through Covered California, according to exchange officials. In addition, Covered California officials say that there have been nearly 1.6 million unique visitors to its website since open enrollment began on Oct. 1. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” Los Angeles Times.
Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Inmate Reduction Order
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Gov. Brown’s appeal of a court-ordered reduction of the state prison population, effectively giving California until Jan. 27 to comply with the order. Meanwhile, the state has announced a three-year contract to rent out beds at a private detention facility in California City for more than 2,000 prisoners. Sacramento Bee et al.
San Jose Mayor Introduces State, City Pension Reform Measure
A proposed ballot measure introduced yesterday by San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed would give state and city officials greater authority to change workers’ future pension benefits. Advocates for public employees criticized the measure, saying benefits should only be determined by employers and workers. Reuters et al.
Report: Nearly 5.2M U.S. Residents To Remain Uninsured in 2014
A new Kaiser Family Foundation report estimates that nearly 5.2 million low-income, uninsured U.S. residents will remain uninsured next year because they will be ineligible for federal subsidies available through the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges or for Medicaid coverage because their states have declined to expand the program under the ACA. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules,” CQ HealthBeat.
Investigation Finds Thousands of HIPAA Privacy Breaches at Department of Veterans Affairs Since 2010
From 2010 through May 31, Department of Veterans Affairs employees or contractors were responsible for 14,215 HIPAA privacy breaches, according to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review investigation. The two-month investigation found that the breaches affected 101,018 veterans and 551 VA employees. In a statement, VA spokesperson Genevieve Billia said the agency takes privacy breaches “very seriously and has established strict guidelines that go beyond what is required by law.” Pittsburg Tribune-Review, Healthcare IT News.
L.A. County Health Officer Requires Health Care Workers To Obtain Flu Shot or Wear Protective Mask
Effective this flu season, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Jonathan Fielding has issued an order requiring health care workers in Los Angeles County to obtain flu immunizations or wear a protective mask while in contact with patients. This is the first time Los Angeles County has issued such a mandate, and it will remain in effect until withdrawn by Fielding. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
San Francisco city leaders are considering using funds from Healthy San Francisco — the city’s near-universal health care program — to help uninsured residents pay their Covered California premiums. The Universal Healthcare Council — a task force of San Francisco business groups and health experts — is assessing how the Affordable Care Act will affect Healthy San Francisco and will evaluate the program’s funding over the next two months. KQED’s “State of Health.”
Dignity Health Teams Up With Minn. Health IT Firm for Hospital Billing, Cost Transparency Tool
San Francisco-based hospital operator Dignity Health and Minnesota-based health information technology company Optum have formed Optum360, which will offer a simplified hospital billing and cost transparency tool. The new joint venture will be staffed by about 1,700 Dignity employees and about 1,300 Optum workers. San Francisco Business Times‘ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Data Show More Than 100,000 U.S. Residents Have Completed Applications in State Insurance Exchanges
As of Oct. 14, more than 100,000 U.S. residents had completed applications for coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s state-operated health insurance exchanges, and at least 38,000 had enrolled, according to data from 14 states collected by the Wall Street Journal. Federal officials said they will not release enrollment data for the federally run exchange — which is operating in 36 states — until next month. Wall Street Journal.
Not-for-Profit Hospital CEOs’ Compensation Not Tied to Outcomes
A new study finds that CEOs of many not-for-profit hospitals are compensated based on patient satisfaction scores, the use of advanced technology and the number of beds their hospitals have, instead of on patient outcomes and care quality measures. The CEOs’ annual salaries ranged from just under $100,000 to more than $3 million. Reuters, AP/Sacramento Bee.