Latest California Healthline Stories
Walgreens, BCBSA Partner To Educate Americans on ACA Details
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and Walgreens have partnered to launch a national campaign and new website — called LearnAboutReform.com — that aim to educate U.S. residents about the Affordable Care Act’s eligibility requirements, available benefits and enrollment options. Modern Healthcare et al.
HHS Gives California Clinics $22M To Help Boost ACA Enrollment
HHS has announced that it is providing a total of $21.9 million to 125 federally qualified community health clinics in California to help the facilities enroll individuals in health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The grants are part of an overall $150 million that HHS is awarding to clinics nationwide. KPCC’s “KPCC News” et al.
State’s June Revenue $1.2B Higher Than Brown’s Estimates
On Wednesday, state Controller John Chiang released data showing that the state’s revenue in June — the last month of the budget year — was $1.2 billion higher than Gov. Brown’s estimates. Overall, the state has collected $2 billion more than previously forecasted for fiscal year 2012-2013. However, Chiang noted that the state ended FY 2012-2013 with a cash deficit of $2.4 billion, which will be covered by internal borrowing from special funds. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” Sacramento Business Journal.
Calif. Renews Contract To House Prisoners Out of State
Corrections Corp. of America to house as many as 8,200 prisoners in Arizona, Oklahoma and Mississippi for three years. The department is under pressure from a court order to reduce the state’s prison population from 119,000 — California’s prison population at the end of 2012 — to about 110,000. San Francisco Business Times.
Calif. Lawmakers Call for Probe of Unapproved Inmate Sterilizations
California Sens. Ted Lieu and Hannah-Beth Jackson, as well as other state lawmakers, are calling for an investigation into the unauthorized sterilization of 148 female inmates between 2006 and 2010. Lawmakers also are criticizing a federal prison overseer’s role in handling the matter. Center for Investigative Reporting.
Brown Asks U.S. Supreme Court To Delay Order To Release Prisoners
Gov. Brown has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay a federal order to release about 9,600 state prisoners to reduce prisoner overcrowding and boost inmate health care services. Brown argues that obeying the order would mean freeing “violent and serious offenders.” Los Angeles Times.
Opinion Piece Argues Against Efforts To Eliminate Cap on Medical Malpractice Damages
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Paul Phinney — president of the California Medical Association and a Sacramento area pediatrician — and Jonathan Porteus — CEO of WellSpace Health — write that if a coalition of trial lawyers succeed in eliminating a cap on medical malpractice damages under state law, “patients, families, health care providers, hospitals, clinics businesses and taxpayers all lose.” They write that “[m]ore lawsuits and bigger lawyer payouts hurt everyone,” adding that “[m]ore lawsuits also jeopardize the ability of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to keep their doors open.” Sacramento Bee.
Elk Grove School District Chooses Western Health Advantage for Health Benefits Program
Elk Grove Unified School District has selected Western Health Advantage to participate in the school’s health benefits program, a change that will be implemented this week. WHA displaced Health Net because it offered rates for the 2013-2014 school year that are “essentially flat,” according to Rich Ragan, associate superintendent for finance and school support. The school also contracts with Kaiser Permanente for the benefits program. Sacramento Business Journal.
Los Medanos Community Healthcare District Doles Out Summer Health Grants to 10 Agencies
The Los Medanos Community Healthcare District has awarded summer grants to 10 local agencies to help East County areas achieve health-related goals, such as reducing childhood obesity. The district also announced that 10 young adults will participate in its 2013 summer internship program, which will focus on environmental pollutants. Contra Costa Times.
Audit: Investigations Lacking at State’s Developmental Centers
The Office of Protective Services has failed to properly investigate charges of patient abuse in centers for individuals with developmental disabilities, according to a state audit. The investigation also found that the state Department of Public Health did not consistently perform all of its required duties in abuse cases. Center for Investigative Reporting et al.