Latest California Healthline Stories
Editorial: State Should Strive for Long-Term Fix for Prison Population Issue
A Sacramento Bee editorial states that U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of Gov. Jerry Brown’s (D) motion to delay the court-ordered release of nearly 10,000 inmates to reduce prison overcrowding and improve the prison health care system “means a scramble is on to get from today’s 119,000 inmates to 110,000 by year’s end with short-term fixes.” It adds, “For the governor and legislators, the goal in the next five months should be not only to meet the population cap by Dec. 31, but to craft a plan for sticking to it over the long-term.”
- “Editorial: State Needs To Take Long-Term View on Prisons” (Sacramento Bee, 8/6).
Sebelius Discusses ACA Insurance Exchanges, Promotion With Media
On Monday, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius hosted a teleconference with the media to discuss issues related to the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges and the Obama administration’s efforts to promote the law. She assured reporters that HHS is “on target” and will be ready to launch the exchanges, which are scheduled to begin open enrollment Oct. 1. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog” et al.
Calif. Officials Outline Plans for Complying With Inmate Release Order
Gov. Brown’s administration has announced plans to comply with the court-ordered release of nearly 10,000 state prisoners by shifting them to other facilities, including county jails, community correctional facilities and out-of-state prisons. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert” et al.
Study Finds Sugary Drinks Could Contribute to Obesity in Pre-Schoolers
A new study published in the journal Pediatrics finds that sugar-sweetened beverages put children from birth to age 5 at risk for obesity. About 10% of the 9,600 children included in the study drank one or more servings of sugar-sweetened beverages daily. Mark DeBoer — lead author and a researcher at the University of Virginia’s department of pediatrics — said that when the children reach age 5, “those who consistently drank sugar-sweetened beverages were the heaviest group.” KQED’s “State of Health.”
Psychiatric Techs’ Contract Increases State’s Costs by $39M
A new analysis from the Legislative Analyst’s Office finds that California’s state psychiatric technicians’ tentative contract — which includes an across-the-board pay raise — would increase the state’s costs by $39 million over three years. If approved, most of the increases would occur in the last two years of the three-year deal. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
UC System To Offer Access to Academic Research This Fall
On Nov. 1, the University of California system will make academic research — including health care-related findings — conducted by 8,000 faculty members available online at no cost to the public. However, some observers say that publishers — who oppose no-cost public access to such findings — could require researchers to opt out of the initiative in order to be published. Oakland Tribune/Contra Costa Times.
California Saves Money, Lives With Hospital Infection Reduction Effort
A National Health Foundation report finds that a three-year campaign by Patient Safety First to reduce health care-associated infections has saved more than $60 million and prevented more than 3,500 patient deaths. Forty hospitals participating in the campaign reported significant decreases in cases of sepsis mortality and central line blood stream infections. KPCC’s “KPCC News” et al.
Massachusetts Officials Say Nurses’ Lack of EHR Access Put Patients at Risk
Boston Medical Center patients were exposed to hepatitis B because nurses lacked access to electronic health records, according to an investigation by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Investigators found that the hospital “failed to ensure” that the nurses “received orientation and read-only access to the hospital’s computerized medical record system before being allowed to independently care for hemodialysis patients.” A hospital spokesperson said that the facility is working to “implement new policies and procedures” to prevent recurrences of the incident. Boston Globe.
House Bill Would Boost Efforts To Combat Medicare Fraud
Two House lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee have reintroduced a bipartisan bill — which stalled in 2010 — that would strengthen federal efforts to combat Medicare payment fraud by eliminating entities that have been involved in fraud from the program. The bill — which failed to advance to the Senate after being approved by voice vote in 2010 — would authorize the HHS Office of Inspector General to discontinue Medicare payments to such entities and prevent executives from switching between companies to repeatedly defraud Medicare. The measure also would encourage federal authorities to ban organizations tied to fraudulent groups from Medicare. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
CMS To Cut Reimbursement Rates By Up to 2% for About 2K Hospitals
New CMS data calculations released last week show that — beginning Oct. 1 — CMS will reduce Medicare reimbursement rates by up to 2% for 2,225 hospitals in 49 states as part of program designed under the Affordable Care Act to curb hospital readmission rates. Kaiser Health News.