Latest California Healthline Stories
L.A. County Insurance Program Enrolls 250K, Works on Outreach
Healthy Way LA — a temporary health insurance program in Los Angeles County designed to help individuals obtain coverage ahead of the state’s Medi-Cal expansion next year — has enrolled more than 250,000 residents. The program plans to increase outreach efforts by partnering with various community groups. HealthyCal.
UnitedHealthcare Agrees To Cover Members’ Speech Therapy Services
The California Department of Managed Health Care has reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare that requires the insurer to cover speech therapy services for its members. The company also will reimburse members who paid out-of-pocket for such services in recent years. Sacramento Business Journal.
HHS To Delay Signing Final Health Plan Agreements for Exchanges
On Tuesday, HHS officials notified insurers that the department is delaying by about a week the deadline to sign final agreements for plans participating in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges. The reasons for the delay are unclear, but some sources cite technology-related issues. Reuters.
Brown Releases Plan To Move About 9,600 State Prisoners
Gov. Brown has released a proposal to move about 9,600 inmates to private prisons and other facilities to comply with a federal court-ordered reduction of the state prison population. The proposal would cost more than $1 billion over the next three years. Los Angeles Times et al.
ACA-Related Cuts Could Cost Sacramento County $9M
On Tuesday, Sacramento County officials said that the county could lose $9 million this fiscal year because of state budget cuts tied to the Affordable Care Act. Earlier this year, Gov. Brown and lawmakers cut $1.5 billion from county health care programs statewide because local governments will not have to pay for indigent residents who enroll in Medi-Cal. However, Sacramento County officials argue that the county may still pick up costs for indigent residents who fail to sign up for Medi-Cal. Sacramento Bee.
Opinion: Lack of Accountability, Oversight of Prop. 63 Mental Health Funding ‘Alarming’
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Barry Krisberg — distinguished senior fellow at UC-Berkeley School of Law — argues that the “recent report by the state auditor that there is virtually no oversight or accountability for more than $7 billion of Proposition 63 Mental Health Services Act funding is alarming.” He adds, “When the voters approve additional taxes to increase important public services, they are entitled to know that they are getting their money’s worth.” Sacramento Bee.
CNA, Dignity Health Reach Tentative Four-Year Contract
Last week, Dignity Health said that it has reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract with the California Nurses Association. The agreement will cover 10,500 registered nurses at 27 facilities in California and 1,200 nurses at three St. Rose Dominican Hospital campuses in Nevada, according to Dignity Health officials. The health system said that CNA’s bargaining committee will schedule a ratification vote in a few days. San Francisco Business Times.
Editorial Examines Findings of Kaiser Family Foundation Report on Premium Increases
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report finding a “modest increase” in health care premiums “is ether a validation or an indictment” of the Affordable Care Act, “depending on whose spin you believe.” According to the editorial, the steps that the ACA takes “are designed to produce savings over the long term; in the near term, it focuses mainly on covering more of the uninsured.” It concludes, “For now, the data from Kaiser … suggest that costs are headed in the right direction, even if it’s not clear how much credit to give” the ACA. Los Angeles Times.
Pérez Says Legislature Will Vote on Prison Population Reduction Plan by End of Session
Assembly Speaker John Pérez says that the state Legislature will vote on a plan to reduce prison overcrowding before the end of the legislative session in September. Federal judges have issued a prison population reduction order, in part to improve inmate health care services at state facilities. Pérez said that lawmakers “will not release a single additional prisoner” from custody to obey the order and instead will look at various strategies for housing inmates elsewhere. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
State Senate Passes Bill Allowing Certain Health Care Providers To Perform Early Abortion Procedure
On Monday, the California Senate voted 25-11 to approve 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. The bill now will return to the Assembly — which was passed the measure in May — so lawmakers can ratify amendments before sending it to Gov. Brown. Bloomberg, AP/San Jose Mercury News.