Latest California Healthline Stories
Republicans Gear Up To Unveil Another ACA Replacement Plan
Yesterday, Rep. Tom Price said House Republicans are preparing to release a “patient-centered” plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The plan would incentivize consumers to purchase insurance, rather than mandate coverage. Washington Times, The Hill‘s “On the Money.”
Surveys Find More Openness to Care From Non-Physicians
As major physician shortages loom, two new surveys suggest that physicians and patients are becoming increasingly comfortable with health care services provided by non-physician practitioners. According to a report published this month in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, nearly 60% of 5,818 family physicians surveyed in 2011 said they routinely work with a nurse practitioner, physician assistant or certified midwife. Meanwhile, a new report published in Health Affairs suggests that patients increasingly are open to being treated by NPs and PAs. Modern Physician.
Opinion: Take Action Against Firms That Skirt ACA Rules
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Assembly member Jimmy Gomez argues that “a small number of large corporations are skirting their responsibility to provide health care or pay a penalty by cutting hours and wages so low that workers end up on taxpayer-funded Medi-Cal.” Gomez notes that he has introduced a bill to close the Affordable Care Act “loophole” by imposing “a responsibility charge on only those large employers that dump workers onto Medi-Cal and taxpayers.” Sacramento Bee.
Poor School Ventilation May Lead to Illness, Study Says
A majority of California elementary classrooms fail to meet the state’s minimum ventilation standards, according to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers published in the journal Indoor Air. The state’s ventilation standard calls for seven liters of fresh air per person to replace indoor air every second, but the average ventilation rate of the classrooms studied was four liters per second. The researchers said that if classroom ventilation rates met state standards, students’ illness-related absences would decline by 3.4%. Sacramento Bee.
UCSF, Duke Seek To Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Researchers at UC-San Francisco and Duke University will collaborate on a $62 million national research program to combat antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The federally funded program, which will run through 2019, will focus on two particular bacterial strains: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, and E. coli. San Francisco Business Times‘ “BiotechSF.”
State Official Says 10% Medi-Cal Cut Could Be Implemented in Summer
A state Department of Finance official says that a 10% cut to Medi-Cal payment rates could be implemented this summer. The official notes that the state can scale back or withdraw the cut for certain providers if it is deemed a barrier to care. Sacramento Business Journal.
House Approves Bill To Create Rx Drug Tracking System
On Monday, the House approved legislation that would establish a nationwide system to track prescription drugs from manufacturers to pharmacies. It would require FDA to propose new rules by 2027 to keep consumers safe from the risks of counterfeit drugs. However, the bill would not force regulators to finalize those rules. The Hill‘s “Floor Action Blog.”
Judge Drops Suit Alleging Antitrust Violations by Sutter in Northern Calif.
A San Francisco District Judge has dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Sutter Health violated antitrust laws by engaging in anti-competitive practices in Northern California. However, the judge has given plaintiffs 28 days to amend the complaint. Sacramento Business Journal.
Brown Seeks To Divert About $2.5B From County Funding
County and state officials are at odds over Gov. Brown’s plan to divert about $2.5 billion from counties’ indigent care budgets for the Medi-Cal expansion. Counties say they already are struggling to provide services for indigent residents. Capitol Weekly.
California Senate OKs Bills That Would Affect State Medical Board
The California Senate has passed four bills related to the Medical Board of California. One of the bills — SB 304 — would move the medical board’s authority to investigate suspected physician misconduct to the Office of the Attorney General. Sacramento Business Journal.