Latest California Healthline Stories
DOJ Asks Supreme Court To Review Contraception Coverage Case
The Obama administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether Hobby Lobby can refuse to comply with contraceptive coverage rules being implemented under the Affordable Care Act on the grounds that doing so would violate the religious freedoms of the retail chain’s owners. Reuters et al.
Kaiser Permanente, Unions Launch New Employee Wellness Program
Kaiser Permanente has teamed up with the 29 unions representing its employees to launch a new wellness program that offers incentive payments to workers in specific regions who collectively improve their health. The program measures weight loss, blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking rates. Sacramento Bee.
Editorial Commends Brown for Voicing Support for Bill That Would Tighten Fracking Rules
A Contra Costa Times editorial states that some environmentalists are calling on Gov. Brown to veto a bill that would tighten rules for the drilling process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, because they “won’t be happy unless there is a complete ban on fracking or a moratorium until [an] environmental impact review is complete.” However, the editorial argues that “studies by the Environmental Protection Agency have not linked fracking by oil companies to groundwater contamination” and that the bill “is a logical first step in the state’s efforts to keep a close eye on the relatively new process.” It states that Brown has said that “he will gladly sign the bill” and that “he has made that decision for all the right reasons.” Contra Costa Times.
Counties Brace for $1.3B Cut to Health Care Funding
California counties are bracing for the state’s $1.3 billion cut to county health departments over the next four years. The state is redirecting the funding in response to its decision to expand Medi-Cal to include individuals with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which is expected to reduce counties’ spending on indigent health care. However, county officials say it is too early to rely on Affordable Care Act savings and to cut county health care safety nets. HealthyCal.
Calif. Insurance Commissioner OKs Covered California License, Training and Certification Process
This week, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones approved a license that allows more than 12,000 health insurance agents to work with Covered California and enroll consumers in individual and small business plans under the Affordable Care Act. Jones also approved the training and certification process that agents must complete to sell health coverage through the exchange. Sacramento Business Journal.
Hospitals Aim To Boost Patient Satisfaction Scores Under ACA
The Affordable Care Act links about $1 billion in Medicare reimbursements nationwide to how well hospitals score on a CMS patient satisfaction survey, so facilities in California and other states are launching new initiatives aimed at boosting consumer satisfaction. HealthyCal.
Many Large Insurers Opting Out of Insurance Exchanges
Many large and popular health insurers — such as Aetna, Cigna and UnitedHealth — are choosing not to participate in the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges because of concerns that enrollees will have costly pre-existing conditions or chronic illnesses. In the absence of big insurers, smaller local insurers are expected to enter the marketplaces and offer comparatively lower rates. Wall Street Journal.
41% of Consumers Would Consider Switching Doctors To Gain EHR Access, Survey Finds
Forty-one percent of U.S. consumers would consider changing health care providers to be able to access their electronic health records online, according to a new survey from Accenture. The survey also found that 98% of consumers said they believe they should have access to their EHRs and that 81% said they want the ability to update their own records. Becker’s Hospital Review et al.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of September 20, 2013
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has awarded the 2013 Enterprise HIMSS Davies Award of Excellence to the UC-Davis Medical Center. The number of patients at El Camino Hospital who pay their medical bills online has increased from 2% to 33% since the hospital installed an online payment platform.
House To Vote on CR To Defund ACA, Senate Passage Unlikely
Yesterday, House Speaker John Boehner said that House Republications have come to an agreement on a continuing resolution proposal that would extend government funding at current levels and defund the Affordable Care Act. House lawmakers likely will vote on the measure this week, but senators say the plan has no chance of passage in their chamber. Washington Post et al.