Latest California Healthline Stories
Calif. Bill Seeking Increased Oversight of Caregivers Sparks Debate
A California bill that would require home care agencies to be licensed and caregivers to be listed in an online database passed a Senate panel last week and has drawn support from unions and advocates for the elderly. However, many home care agencies oppose the creation of a caregiver database. New York Times‘ “New Old Age Blog.”
House GOP Seeks Details From Recipients of ACA ‘Navigator’ Funds
Last week, 15 House GOP lawmakers sent a letter to recipients of Affordable Care Act “navigator” funds inquiring how they plan to use the money for their programs. The request drew strong criticism from HHS and a leading House Democrat. Kaiser Health News, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Study: U.S. Spends $9.8B Annually on Hospital-Associated Infections
A recent Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine study finds that the U.S. health care system spends $9.8 billion annually to treat hospital-associated infections. Surgical site infections were the most common and made up nearly one-third of all such infections. CBS News, Modern Physician.
Legislature Fails To Advance Nurse Practitioner Scope-of-Practice Bill
A measure that sought to curb California’s physician shortage by allowing nurse practitioners to operate without physician supervision at certain medical facilities failed to advance in the state Legislature last week. The measure faced strong opposition from the California Medical Association. Los Angeles Times.
Lawmakers Send Brown Bill Allowing Certain Providers To Perform Early Abortion Procedure
Last week, California lawmakers sent Gov. Brown a bill, by Assembly member Toni Atkins, that would allow nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and physician assistants to perform an early abortion procedure known as an aspiration abortion. If Brown signs the bill, California will join four other states with similar laws, including Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon and Vermont. Los Angeles Times.
Uninsured, Undocumented Immigrants Not Likely To Receive Coverage Through ACA, UCLA Study Says
Fifty-one percent of undocumented immigrant adults in California do not have health insurance and that will likely continue even after the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, according to a study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The ACA prohibits undocumented immigrants from purchasing health coverage through the health insurance exchanges created under the law. The financial impact of uninsured California immigrants will be alleviated by the fact that the state’s undocumented immigrants are mostly young and relatively healthy. Sacramento Bee.
Covered California Provides Online Tool for Consumers To Compare Health Premium Rates
Last week, Covered California launched an online feature allowing consumers to compare specific health premium rates from competing health plans in their area. Prior to the launch, the state’s online calculator provided general estimates of statewide premiums without any other information on different plans and prices. Los Angeles Times.
Scripps Says Blue Shield Cancer Treatment Coverage Decision Will Not Affect New Therapy Center
On Thursday, Scripps Health said that a recent decision by Blue Shield of California to reduce coverage of proton beam cancer treatment will not challenge the financial viability of the organization’s $230 million proton therapy center set to open in October. Blue Shield said there is no evidence that the costly therapy improves outcomes. Scripps officials said that the proton therapy center is not likely to be a financial liability because it is fully funded by health group Advanced Particle Therapy. They added that they will make proton treatment recommendations to patients on a case-by-case basis. U-T San Diego.
Editorial: Steinberg’s Inmate Reduction Proposal Has ‘Merit,’ Brown Should Drop His Prison Plan
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg’s plan to comply with a federal court-ordered reduction of the state prison population by seeking a three-year extension of the order and putting more money toward drug and mental health treatment for inmates has “real merit.” However, Gov. Brown’s plan to curb the prison population — which would spend more than $1 billion over the next three years to move about 9,600 state inmates to private prisons and other facilities — “would raid the state’s reserve fund” and “reopen more prison cells, but not enough to keep ahead of an increasing number of inmates,” according to the editorial. It concludes, “Brown should drop his plan, take a cue from Steinberg and give the court, and California, sustainable criminal justice reform.” Los Angeles Times.
Federal Government Directives Recognize Same-Sex Marriages
The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department announced that same-sex couples who are legally married will be recognized as such for federal tax purposes, which will affect how such couples apply for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Separately, HHS released guidance extending Medicare Advantage options to same-sex couples. New York Times et al.