Latest California Healthline Stories
Poll: Few Residents Think Rollout of Exchanges Has Gone Very Well
A new poll finds that only 7% of U.S. residents think the rollout of the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges has gone very or extremely well, while 40% believe it has not gone well. A separate poll finds that the ACA has gained support amid the government shutdown, as Republicans in Congress push to defund the law. Washington Times‘ “Inside Politics” et al.
Calif. GOP Lawmakers Work To Educate Constituents About ACA
GOP lawmakers in California are helping their constituents navigate the new state health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act, regardless of whether they oppose the law. Political strategists say that GOP lawmakers holding educational sessions likely will not face much backlash from more conservative voters during the next election. Sacramento Bee.
Covered California Physician, Hospital Directory Taken Offline
On Wednesday, a directory of health care providers affiliated with policies offered through the state health insurance exchange was taken offline for repairs after reports of inaccuracies and slow loading times. Covered California officials are working to fix navigation paths, capacity and search functions. Modern Healthcare, U-T San Diego.
Brown Signs Bill To Boost Response to Suspected Sexual Abuse in State’s Mental Hospitals
On Thursday, Gov. Brown signed into law a bill that requires victims of suspected sexual abuse in mental hospitals and centers for the developmentally disabled to receive immediate examinations by trained investigators at independent facilities to collect evidence. State Sen. Fran Pavley — the bill’s author — said that the law is in response to a lapse in oversight at such facilities, where patients and residents have been sexually assaulted without any consequences for their caregivers. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal.”
On Thursday, Bay Area Rapid Transit union leaders filed a 72-hour strike notice, threatening to stop work Monday if an agreement on pay raises and health care and pension contributions is not reached. Union leaders agreed to extend contract discussions for three days and told members to report to work Friday. On Friday, a cooling-off period ordered by Gov. Brown expired. Contra Costa Times.
Gov. Brown Extends Calif. Autism Insurance Mandate
Gov. Brown has signed legislation to extend by two and a half years the California Autism Insurance Mandate, which requires private insurers to provide coverage of behavioral health treatment for children with autism and pervasive developmental disorders. The mandate will sunset Jan. 1, 2017. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal.”
New Law Allows Families To Tailor Service Plans for Relatives With Developmental Disabilities
Gov. Brown has signed into law a bill — by Sen. Bill Emmerson — that implements the Self-Determination Program, which allows the families of people with developmental disabilities to develop service plans instead of relying on plans prepared by state-contracted centers. The program will take effect over three years. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of October 11, 2013
The California Department of Public Health recently ruled that Napa State Hospital committed no wrongdoing when it transported a patient with a mental illness to University Medical Center in Las Vegas without notifying her family. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department is investigating why it took San Francisco General Hospital more than two weeks to discover the body of a missing patient.
EHR Issues Negatively Affecting Doctors’ Job Satisfaction, According to RAND Study
Concerns associated with electronic health records are hindering physicians’ job satisfaction, according to a RAND study released this week. According to the study, some physicians feel EHRs are too costly or that they are overly complicated. It found that 20% of physicians said that they want to return to paper health records. HealthLeaders Media.
IRS Official: ACA Rollout Going Well, Consumer Data Safe
During a House committee hearing yesterday, Sarah Hall Ingram — director of the Internal Revenue Services’ Affordable Care Act Office — testified that implementation of the law is going smoothly and that consumer data processed by the agency are safe. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.