Latest California Healthline Stories
Opinion: Sugary Drink Tax Would Curb Kids’ Obesity
Sugary drink consumption has reached “a tipping point,” and with 40% of California children overweight, it is time to implement a tax on sweetened beverages, Sen. Bill Monning and Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, write in a Sacramento Bee opinion piece. They note that SB 622 — authored by Monning — will generate $1.7 billion annually for nutrition education and other anti-obesity efforts by levying a penny-per-ounce tax on such drinks. Sacramento Bee.
Senate Panel Approves Immigration Bill With Provider Provision
The Senate Judiciary Committee has passed an immigration bill that would make it easier for foreign-born health professionals to work in the U.S. The bill also would allow some foreign-born people to purchase health plans through insurance exchanges. Modern Healthcare, Politico.
Number of Elective Surgeries Varies by Region, Study Finds
A California HealthCare Foundation study finds wide variations in the number of elective surgeries by region. CHCF publishes California Healthline. According to the study, several factors, including access to information about the procedures, physician preferences and patient input, contribute to the geographical differences. Los Angeles Times.
Group Accused of Violating HIPAA After Boston Bombings
The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association recently accused the Boston Public Health Commission of violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Privacy Rule by requesting personal medical information from health care providers about victims treated in the aftermath of the April 15 marathon bombings without patient consent. The Police Association has issued letters to the 40 or so hospitals and clinics contacted by the commission, threatening to sue if they comply with the request for information. In addition, the association has sent the commission a “cease and desist” letter, demanding that the organization destroys any information it has gathered so far. Healthcare Info Security.
Editorial Lauds EHR System at Santa Clara Hospital
A San Jose Mercury News editorial states that Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s new $220 million Epic electronic health record system should “lead to more efficient billing,” boost “quality of care” and “significantly reduce” medical and medication errors. Based on VMC’s “unique position in the ecosystem of Silicon Valley hospitals,” the EHR’s “capabilities will be exponentially more transformational,” the editorial adds. San Jose Mercury News.
More Than Half of U.S. Doctors Have Received Federal EHR Incentives
Data from HHS show that 55% of eligible office-based physicians have received incentives for the meaningful use of electronic health record systems, while 80% of eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals have received such incentives. Wall Street Journal, HHS release.
UC Hospitals: Most Union Members Went to Work During Labor Strike
Officials at University of California medical centers say that most unionized patient care employees worked as scheduled during a labor strike. According to officials, more than 75% of union members worked at the facilities on Tuesday, the first day of the two-day strike. Los Angeles Times.
Farm Bill Amendment Would Block ACA Funds for IRS
U.S. Sen. Dean Heller has filed an amendment to a farm bill that would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from receiving funds in fiscal year 2014 or later to enforce the Affordable Care Act. The move follows increased criticism of the IRS after the agency admitted that it had placed extra scrutiny on conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealth Opt Out of State Insurance Exchange
Aetna, Cigna and UnitedHealth will not participate in the state health insurance exchange next year. Meanwhile, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California and Kaiser Permanente have chosen to take part in Covered California. Los Angeles Times.
California Democrats Differ on Safety-Net Spending Priorities
Democrats in the Assembly and Senate have different priorities for boosting safety-net spending. Assembly Democrats want to boost CalWORKS-related spending, while Senate Democrats are pushing to increase Denti-Cal and mental health services spending. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”