Latest California Healthline Stories
Report: CMS Unlikely To Recover More Than $500M in Overpayments
A report from HHS’ Office of Inspector General finds that CMS failed to collect more than $500 million in improper Medicare payments in 2010 and is unlikely to recoup the funds because of inaccurate data. OIG recommends that CMS update its data collection system by using unique tax identification numbers. USA Today, Modern Healthcare.
Opinion Piece: Brown Has Good Political Position for Fight With Judges Over Prison Population Cap
In a Capitol Journal/Los Angeles Times opinion piece, columnist George Skelton writes, “Politically, it doesn’t get much better for a governor” than an order by federal judges for Gov. Brown to release nearly 10,000 inmates to curb overcrowding and help boost prison health care services. The judges “are threatening to hold Brown in contempt of court if he refuses to free the felons,” but they should “find a way to … [p]roclaim their mission accomplished,” considering the improvements California has made to prison health care in recent years, according to Skelton. Capitol Journal/Los Angeles Times.
NFL Says It Has ‘No Plans’ To Help Promote the ACA
On Friday, National Football League spokesperson Greg Aiello in an email said the league has “no plans to engage in [Affordable Care Act promotions]” and has “no substantive contact with the administration about [the health care law’s] implementation.” Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. John Cornyn released a letter that they sent several professional sports leagues urging them not to promote the Affordable Care Act or collaborate with the Obama administration on its outreach efforts. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch,” Washington Post.
Republicans Concerned About Data Hub for Exchanges
Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius expressing concern about the data hub developed to connect federal agencies with state health insurance exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act. In the letter, 16 GOP lawmakers wrote that the hub “has not been tested, and it remains unclear whether it will be operable and able to protect sensitive health and taxpayer information.” They asked Sebelius by July 12 to provide information about how the hub will protect such information and when it will be ready for launch. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
S&P Says Calif. Finances Are Better, but Future Is Uncertain
A Standard & Poor’s report says that California is in a better financial position than in recent years but that the state might be jeopardizing its ability to maintain long-term spending commitments by considering funding for new programs and relying on uncertain future revenue. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
L.A. City Attorney’s Office Releases Names of 134 Authorized Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
The Los Angeles city attorney’s office has released the names of 134 medical marijuana dispensaries that are eligible to continue operating under the voter-approved Measure D. Dispensaries must have registered with the city in both 2007 and 2011 and under Measure M — the marijuana taxation measure — to continue to operate. KPCC’s “Represent!”
More Than One-Third of Jobs Gained in Fresno County Since Recession Are in Health Care, Study Finds
A Brookings Institution report finds that more than one-third of the 6,500 jobs gained in Fresno County since the recession have been in the health care field. Health care jobs represented 94 out of every 1,000 jobs in the area in the first quarter of the year, compared with a pre-recession peak of 84 out of every 1,000 jobs. Among California’s metropolitan areas, Fresno had the highest proportion of health care jobs as a percentage of all jobs created since the recession. Fresno Bee.
UnitedHealth To Withdraw From State’s Individual Insurance Market
UnitedHealth Group has announced that it will withdraw from California’s individual health insurance market at the end of 2013, following a similar move made by Aetna last month. State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said that UnitedHealth’s action means less choice and less competition in the market. Los Angeles Times.
2.5M Calif. Residents Affected by 2012 Data Breaches, AG Reports
A new report by California Attorney General Kamala Harris finds that about 2.5 million state residents had their health, financial and other information exposed by 131 electronic data breaches in 2012. Harris says that if the data had been encrypted, 1.4 million fewer state residents would have been affected by the breaches. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert” et al.
Local Officials Tapped To Help Promote Health Insurance Exchanges
The Obama administration is working with local officials to promote the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges. Meanwhile, the American Library Association will join a national effort to help individuals obtain ACA information, and advocacy groups are reaching out to young adults. New York Times et al.