Latest California Healthline Stories
Consumer Advocates, Attorneys Aim To Lift Medical Malpractice Cap
A coalition of trial attorneys and Consumer Watchdog seek to qualify for the November 2014 ballot an initiative to eliminate a statewide cap on medical malpractice damages. However, a recent poll found that 55% of 802 respondents said that the cap is “too high or about right.” Sacramento Business Journal.
Groups Want Kids’ Dental Care Included in Regular Exchange Plans
The Children’s Partnership and other advocacy groups want Covered California to include pediatric dental care as a primary benefit in health plans offered through the state insurance exchange, rather than selling stand-alone dental coverage for children. They say selling separate pediatric dental care plans could increase costs and decrease access to dental care for children. Sacramento Bee.
House GOP Leaders Push for Delay of ACA’s Individual Mandate
Following the delay of the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate, House GOP leaders are pushing the Obama administration to issue a similar delay to the individual mandate. Republicans also are working to delay or repeal the individual mandate through a series of votes. New York Times et al.
10 Inmates Put Under Medical Watch After Hunger Strike
On Tuesday, 10 inmates at High Desert State Prison were placed under medical observation after launching a hunger strike July 1. The inmates are seeking improved facility conditions, increased access to the prison library and better food. Statewide, about 29,000 inmates refused meals Tuesday, a slight decline from 30,000 Monday. Correction officials said the statewide protests largely are focused on solitary confinement conditions. Los Angeles Times’ “Political,” Los Angeles Times.
Yolo County Funds Pilot Program To Boost Mental Care
Last week, Yolo County supervisors approved a mental health pilot program aimed at curbing hospitalization and incarceration of individuals with mental illnesses who do not meet emergency or conservatorship criteria. The program — which leverages a mix of mental health counseling, case management and psychiatric care — adds about $65,000 to Turning Point Community Programs for outpatient treatment, enough to treat at least four clients. Sacramento Bee.
Editorial Says Employer Mandate Delay Is Not a Detour
A Sacramento Bee editorial argues that the Obama administration’s decision to delay for one year a requirement that large companies provide health insurance coverage to workers “is a bump in the road, not a detour down a wrong path.” According to the editorial, “The real issue is whether [the delay] will lead large employers to drop coverage.” However, it states, “many observers believe that … we’d be better off with a system in which people could buy insurance on their own … rather than obtaining insurance through an employer.” Sacramento Bee.
Study: Popular Websites Share Users’ Health Search Data
Several websites share the results of users’ health-related searches with third parties, according to a research letter published Monday in Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine. In the letter, Marco Huesch — a public policy researcher at the University of Southern California — said that while most of the search information is used to boost users’ website experience and target advertisements, the practice still raises significant privacy issues. Politico, Reuters.
Low-Income Patients Would Rather Seek Care From Hospitals, Study Finds
Low-income patients would rather seek care at emergency departments than from primary care providers for a host of reasons, according to a study published in Health Affairs on Monday. The study found that low-income patients have more trust in hospital-administered health care and that primary care outside of hospitals often is too costly for low-income patients. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules,” Modern Healthcare.
Several Studies Reveal Growing Adoption of Health IT Across the U.S.
On Monday, Health Affairs published studies that examine the adoption of health IT among health care providers. One study found that 44% of hospitals used basic electronic health record systems in 2012, compared with 27% in 2011. Another study found that 38% of office-based physicians used EHRs in 2012, an increase from 26% in 2010. Los Angeles Times‘ “Nation Now” et al.
Studies: Current Medicaid Beneficiaries May Miss Out on ACA Benefits
A pair of Health Affairs studies find that while millions of U.S. residents will become newly eligible for health coverage under the Medicaid expansion in the Affordable Care Act, certain previously enrolled beneficiaries might miss out on preventive care coverage offered through the ACA. Politico, CQ HealthBeat.