Latest California Healthline Stories
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of June 7, 2013
Officials at Palomar Medical Center plan to lay off 84 workers next month, citing reduced Medicare reimbursements and lower patient volume. Coalinga Regional Medical Center has conducted test flights to help develop international criteria for helipad lighting.
ACA Provision Saved Consumers $2.1B in 2012, Report Finds
A new Kaiser Family Foundation report finds that the medical-loss ratio provision in the Affordable Care Act saved consumers who purchased their own health plan $2.1 billion last year. The savings averaged about $204 per policyholder. Los Angeles Times‘ “Money & Co.” et al.
CMMI Director Gilfillan’s Exit Sparks Concerns About ACA
Health care industry executives are expressing concern that implementation of the Affordable Care Act could be hampered by the impending departure of Richard Gilfillan, director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at CMS. Last week, CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner said that Gilfillan — who oversaw CMMI’s efforts to lower costs and improve care quality under the ACA — will be leaving the agency at the end of June. Modern Healthcare.
Obama Expected To Highlight Calif.’s ACA Progress During Visit
President Obama is expected to discuss California’s progress in implementing the Affordable Care Act during a visit to San Jose this morning. His remarks likely will focus on outreach efforts and premium rates for Covered California. Los Angeles Times et al.
ACA Driving Employment Opportunities in California
The Affordable Care Act is inciting a “hiring blitz” for California, major health insurers and some community groups that are preparing to help residents understand their new health insurance options. For example, Covered California — the state’s health insurance exchange — is hiring hundreds of workers at three call centers set to open this fall. Los Angeles Times.
States Selling Health Records Might Risk Patient Privacy
States could be putting patients’ privacy at risk by selling medical records that could be used to link an individual’s identity to their medical conditions. Although the Safe Harbor HIPAA provision requires that shared data have 18 key identifiers — such as age, ZIP code or hospital admission and discharge dates — removed, state agencies are exempt from HIPAA rules. According to records reviewed by Bloomberg and Harvard University researchers, 26 states release some combination of the key identifiers when they sell medical records. Bloomberg.
Global Alliance Eyes Framework for Genetic, Clinical Data-Sharing
About 70 major research and health groups have announced an alliance to create a framework for sharing genetic and clinical data. The groups — which include Stanford University — say that sharing such data is key to advancing medical knowledge. New York Times, Boston Globe.
Nev. Facility That Bused Patients to California Will Retain Accreditation
Nevada officials say that Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital will retain its accreditation following a routine Joint Commission survey. The facility has been criticized for busing patients with mental illnesses to California and other states. Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sacramento Bee.
Opinion: AB 880 Would Have ‘Devastating’ Effect on Firms
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Community College Foundation President and CEO Rick Fowler argues that a bill that would penalize large employers if they do not pay workers enough to keep them out of Medi-Cal “would have a broad and devastating impact” on many types of organizations. He writes, “We, along with 55 organizations representing many thousands of businesses, health care organizations and nonprofits collectively employing millions of Californians, urge” legislators to block the bill “before it damages good organizations and increases unemployment in California.” Sacramento Bee.
GOP Leaders Expand Probe Into Sebelius’ ACA Fundraising Efforts
Republicans leaders have further expanded an investigation into HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ requests for private donations to a campaign aiming to raise public participation and awareness of the Affordable Care Act. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch,” Washington Times‘ “Inside Politics.”