Latest California Healthline Stories
Columnist Argues House’s Individual Mandate Bill Would ‘Sabotage’ U.S. Health System
Los Angeles Times columnist Jon Healy writes that a bill — passed by the House on Wednesday — that would delay the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate until 2015 would “sabotage” the U.S. health system by suspending the requirement that residents obtain insurance while leaving “new requirements on insurers in place.” However, he writes that this appears to be House Republicans’ intent, “no matter what effect it might have on their constituents who need individual coverage.” Los Angeles Times.
House Approves ACA Employer, Individual Mandate Delay Bills
On Wednesday, the House approved two bills that would delay both the employer and individual mandates under the Affordable Care Act. House Democrats called the bills a waste of time during the floor debate, while President Obama has said he would veto the bills if they reached his desk. New York Times et al.
Sutter Health Nurses Say EHR Is Problematic, According to CNA
The California Nurses Association says that nurses at certain Sutter Health facilities have filed more than 100 complaints about a new electronic health record system, saying it endangers patient safety and decreases efficiency. According to CNA, the nurses say that the EPIC EHR system has caused erroneous medication orders and delayed care, among other things. Sacramento Business Journal, CNA release.
Kaiser’s Proposed Rate Hike Sent to S.F. Supervisors
On Wednesday, a San Francisco Board of Supervisors committee agreed to send all of the proposed 2014 health care rates — including a controversial 5.25% rate hike from Kaiser Permanente — to the full board for consideration. Last week, the committee delayed sending the proposed rates to the board, arguing that Kaiser had not been transparent about the reasons behind the increase. However, committee members this week said they were encouraged by recent conversations with Kaiser. San Francisco Chronicle.
Report: State, Local Governments Underreport Spending
California state and local governments — which spent a combined $365 billion in the fiscal year ending in 2011 — underreport the amount of money they spend each year, especially in predicting future payments for unfunded liability, according to a report from California Public Policy Center. According to the report, the state’s combined government debt is $848 billion, of which $611 billion is held by local governments. Sacramento Business Journal.
Advocates Want New Official To Oversee Developmental Centers
Advocates for individuals with developmental disabilities have asked Gov. Brown to appoint an independent official to oversee patient safety at state board-and-care facilities. Others want Brown to close certain institutions. The requests follow an audit that found several deficiencies in the Office of Protective Services’ oversight of such facilities. AP/U-T San Diego, Center for Investigative Reporting.
Study: ACA Could Worsen Shortage of Safety-Net Providers in Calif.
A study by California State University-Monterey Bay finds that full implementation of the Affordable Care Act could further exacerbate a shortage of safety-net health care providers in California. According to findings, each safety-net clinic in Monterey County would need 10 more doctors to provide care for patients gaining coverage under the ACA. HealthyCal.
GOP Senators Seek Details About Education Department’s Role in Implementing ACA
In a letter sent Tuesday to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, 19 Senate Republicans sought details about the agency’s role in implementing the Affordable Care Act and disseminating information about the law. They also asked Duncan to justify the department’s authority to carry out such tasks and requested a response by July 30. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Study: EHR Use Lowers Short-Term Ambulatory Care Costs
Use of electronic health records helped reduce ambulatory health care costs by about 3% over the 18 months following implementation, according to a study published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. However, researchers found that EHR use did not reduce overall inpatient costs. MedPage Today et al.
Delay of ACA’s Employer Mandate Could Hinder Individual Mandate
Health care policy experts report that the one-year delay in implementing the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate could hinder enforcement of the law’s individual mandate. Experts say the employer mandate delay means employees in 2014 could avoid complying with the coverage requirement by falsely claiming they are covered. AP/Sacramento Bee, The Hill‘s “RegWatch.”