Latest California Healthline Stories
Transparency Not Enough To Reduce Health Care Costs, Experts Say
This week, experts told Senate lawmakers that data transparency efforts alone will not curb health costs. At a hearing, journalist Steve Brill said that patients often cannot take steps to avoid high costs even when provided with pricing data. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules,” MedCity News.
Sutter Health’s New HMO To Begin Open Enrollment in Fall
This fall, Sutter Health plans to hold open enrollment for its new HMO, called Sutter Health Plus. According to Sutter officials, coverage will begin on Jan. 1, 2014. The HMO will be open to residents living in the greater Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley region. Sacramento Bee.
Study Finds 45.5M U.S. Residents Lacked Health Care Coverage in 2012
A CDC survey finds that 14.7% of U.S. residents did not have health insurance in 2012. It found that more than 17% of California residents were uninsured, more than 1 in 3 were covered by a public plan and more than 54% had private coverage. KPCC’s “On Central,” Modern Healthcare.
Op-Ed: System Must Rethink How Providers Work Together
While it is “long overdue” that many state governments, including California’s, are considering new rules to expand the care that non-physicians can provide, “what is really needed is a fundamental rethinking of how we practice medicine, not who practices,” Michael Wilkes, a professor of medicine at UC-Davis, writes in an opinion piece for the Sacramento Bee. Wilkes acknowledges some of the challenges that come with expanding such providers’ purview, but argues, “The far more important question is whether we can use the Affordable Care Act to redesign health care delivery to create teams of doctors, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists and pharmacists who can work together to actually improve our health.” Sacramento Bee.
CalPERS Board OKs Plan To Lower Pension Contributions
The CalPERS’ board has approved a plan to lower pension payments for the California state government and school districts by a combined $102.8 million for fiscal year 2013-2014. Total state pension contributions will decline by $73.1 million to $3.9 billion. Schools will pay $1.2 billion for pensions in the same fiscal year period. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
Coalition of Community Health Clinics in L.A. Offer ACA Information
A group of eight community health clinics in the southern Los Angeles region is working to inform low-income residents about the Affordable Care Act. A coalition worker says that a common question that residents ask is how the ACA will affect undocumented immigrants. HealthyCal.
‘Silver’ Exchange Plan Premiums Lower Than Expected, Report Says
A new Avalere Health report finds that premiums for mid-range — or “silver” — health insurance plans offered through online insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act are lower than previous Congressional Budget Office predictions. Modern Healthcare et al.
Lawmakers Seek Data on Federal Mental Health Programs
In a letter sent last week, leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations asked the Government Accountability Office to review federal grants and programs that are intended to help individuals with severe mental illnesses. The lawmakers requested information about how federal programs on mental illness use evidence-based practices; identify and address gaps in care; and work together to better serve patients. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Inmates’ Attorneys Call for More Oversight of Prison Mental Care
Attorneys for state inmates argue that a federal judge should expand oversight of the prison mental health care system to include the Department of State Hospitals following the deaths of two inmates with histories of mental issues. AP/U-T San Diego et al.
GAO: State, Federal Officials Missed Key Exchange Deadlines
Government Accountability Office reports say that while officials have made significant progress in developing regulatory framework and guidance for health insurance exchanges, several key deadlines have been missed and there still is major work to complete. Wall Street Journal et al.