Latest California Healthline Stories
Poll: Moderate, Conservative Democrats’ Support of ACA Slipping
A new Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that support for the Affordable Care Act among ideologically moderate and conservative Democrats has declined from 74% in 2010 to 46%. Some observers say the decline in support among Democratic voters could be detrimental to congressional Democrats in next year’s midterm election. Washington Post‘s “The Fix” et al.
S.F. Leaders Offer Few Details on Future of Healthy San Francisco Post-ACA Implementation
San Francisco leaders have offered few details on how costs and mandates related to Healthy San Francisco — the city’s near-universal health care program — will be affected when major Affordable Care Act provisions go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. Last week, Mayor Ed Lee’s office released a vague message, saying that his team is “deep into the process” of working with businesses, the Department of Public Health, community health leaders and “workers’ rights shareholders” to ensure that the program continues providing access “to those not eligible for federal benefits” and that city residents who are eligible for Covered California or Medi-Cal move into those programs. San Francisco Business Times’ “Bay Area BizTalk.”
San Jose, City Unions in Court Over Pension Reform
During a court hearing on Monday, San Jose city employee unions — led by the city’s police union — argued that the city’s overhaul of pension benefits for current public employees — which was promoted by Mayor Chuck Reed and approved by nearly 70% of voters in 2012 — violates the rights of its members and is at odds with state law. The lawsuit has statewide implications, as other local governments consider breaking benefit promises to current and past employees. Reuters.
Calif. Teaching Hospitals Among Recipients of Primary Care Grants
Thirty-two teaching health centers across the U.S. — including four California facilities — have received about $12 million in Affordable Care Act funds to boost primary care residency programs. The Health Resources and Services Administration allotted the funding to help train more than 300 resident physicians during the 2013-2014 academic year. FierceHealthcare, HHS release.
Covered California Selects Key Demographics as Focus of Outreach
California’s health insurance exchange has chosen three specific resident demographics as the focus for its public outreach campaign. Meanwhile, the exchange has decided to delay the outreach initiative — which originally was scheduled to begin in July — until a time closer to open enrollment in October. Sacramento Bee.
CHA Releases Guide for Hospitals To Help Patients Obtain Insurance
A new manual from the California Hospital Association advises hospitals on becoming a “certified enrollment entity” to help patients obtain health coverage through Medi-Cal and the state health insurance exchange. The guide — which was funded by the American Hospital Association — includes information about staffing, training and information systems. Sacramento Business Journal et al.
Opinion: Despite Flaws, ACA Will Benefit Families
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Micah Weinberg — CEO of Healthy Systems Project, a health policy consulting firm — writes that although the “Affordable Care Act has flaws,” he believes that his life will “get less complicated and frustrating on Jan. 1, 2014, the day that health reform coverage starts.” He adds, “One major improvement is that our premium payments will drop.” Sacramento Bee.
S.F. General Hospital Doctors Develop eReferral System
Physicians at San Francisco General Hospital have developed “eReferral,” an electronic referral system that connects general practitioners with specialists to facilitate discussions about patients’ medical issues. The system was designed to address long wait times to see a specialist. San Francisco Chronicle.
Doctors Increasingly Embrace Online Symptom-Checkers
More physicians support the use of new symptom-checking websites and mobile applications. Some doctors are adding the tools into their websites and electronic health record systems to help their patients save time and make consultations more productive. Wall Street Journal.
GOP Considers Federal Gov’t Shutdown To Block ACA Implementation
Some Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate are supporting a GOP-sponsored plan to prevent the Affordable Care Act from taking full effect by facilitating a shutdown of the federal government. Democrats and the White House have called the plan as a nonstarter. The Hill et al.