Latest California Healthline Stories
CBO: Federal Gov’t Will Lose $12B From Employer Mandate Delay
A Congressional Budget Office analysis finds that the Obama administration’s decision to delay for one year the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate will cost the federal government about $12 billion in lost revenue and other costs over the next 10 years. CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf says that the bulk of the lost revenue would result from delaying penalties that some employers would have had to pay for violating the mandate. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
Businesses Concerned About Aligning Healthy San Francisco, ACA
Certain business leaders are concerned about potential conflicts between the Healthy San Francisco program and the Affordable Care Act. One business industry expert says that many small businesses mistakenly believe that Healthy San Francisco will end on Jan. 1, 2014. San Francisco Business Journal‘s “Bay Area BizTalk.”
Calif. To Spend Nearly $233B During Fiscal Year 2013-2014
A report by a state legislative analyst finds that California likely will spend $232.9 billion during fiscal year 2013-2014 if officials closely follow the budget approved last month. However, the report says that state revenues are about $2.3 billion higher than the budget’s estimates, which could affect spending on health care and other areas. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” Legislative Analyst’s report.
Mental Health Advocates Push Back on Proposed Smoking Ban at Ventura County Medical Center
Mental health advocates are pushing for an exception to a proposed campus-wide smoking ban on the Ventura County Medical Center grounds. The county affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness argues that patients held involuntarily at the Hillmont Psychiatric Center should not be forced to quit smoking while in crisis. Ventura County Star.
Santa Clara County’s Ambulance Provider Pays Past-Due Bills, Avoids Additional Contract Violations
On Monday, Rural/Metro — a private ambulance firm serving Santa Clara County — paid about $2.4 million in fines and payments to county fire departments and dispatchers, avoiding additional contract violations. County officials say they are continuing to monitor the ambulance chain’s financial situation and have asked other private ambulance providers to be prepared to possibly take over the county’s services. San Jose Mercury News.
A Sacramento Bee editorial argues that the Joint Commission’s decision to preliminarily deny accreditation to Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas — which sent patients with mental illnesses to California and other states via Greyhound Buses — shows that “[a]uthorities are starting to take seriously Nevada’s mistreatment of its most severely mentally ill residents.” However, it states that although Nevada has “stopped busing patients unescorted,” the practice was a “symptom of deeper problems in that state’s system of care for mentally ill people, starting with underfunding and low pay.” Sacramento Bee.
Aetna Reports 17% Increase in Second-Quarter Profits
On Tuesday, health insurer Aetna reported that its second-quarter profits for 2013 increased by 17% to $536 million, compared with $457.6 million during the same period in 2012. Meanwhile, Aetna’s revenue for the quarter increased by 31% to $11.56 billion, excluding certain items, which fell short of analysts’ prediction of about $11.9 billion. AP/Sacramento Bee.
House Bill Would Boost Medicare Claims Data Transparency
A bipartisan bill introduced in the House last week would require HHS to create a no-cost, searchable database of Medicare claims and clarify that Medicare payments are not exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. The bill is identical to legislation introduced last month in the Senate. Modern Healthcare‘s “Vital Signs.”
Experts: Rural Residents Stand To Gain More From ACA
U.S. residents living in rural areas could see a greater benefit from the Affordable Care Act than those living in urban settings, according to a panel of experts speaking Friday at a forum on rural health care. During the event — sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform — experts called for a ramped-up ACA education campaign targeting uninsured, rural U.S. residents, adding that educating such individuals about the ACA’s benefits will be critical to the law’s success. MedPage Today‘s “The Gupta Guide.”
Study Finds N.Y. Mental Health Program Successful, Cost Effective
A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry finds that a New York state program — known as Kendra’s Law — requiring individuals with severe mental health issues to receive outpatient treatment has reduced mental health and Medicaid expenses by as much as 50%. New York Times.