Latest California Healthline Stories
Immigrant Populations Could Pose Challenges for Medicaid Expansion
An analysis finds that states with large immigrant populations could face challenges expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. In California, 26% of potential Medi-Cal beneficiaries under the expansion are immigrants who do not qualify, the report finds. Modern Healthcare.
California Endowment To Invest $90M To Boost Health Care Workforce
The California Endowment plans to invest $90 million over the next four years to expand California’s health care workforce in preparation for millions of newly insured state residents under the Affordable Care Act. Sacramento Business Journal, The California Endowment release.
Republicans Introduce Bills That Would Counter Prison Realignment
State GOP lawmakers have introduced 13 bills that would alter the state’s prison realignment plan. The bills would send some inmates back to state prisons from county jails, which are facing lawsuits over poor inmate health care. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” AP/U-T San Diego.
O.C. Health Not-for-Profit Could See Major Funding Cut
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is considering cutting funding for Latino Health Access — a Santa Ana-based not-for-profit group that helps educate low-income residents about health issues — from $500,000 to $100,000. The head of Latino Health Access said she believes the proposed cut stems from an earlier dispute over the group’s use of Spanish. The not-for-profit aims to serve all ethnic groups. Los Angeles Times.
Analysis Finds Workers Select Lower-Priced Health Plans
Many employees who were offered a fixed amount of money to purchase health insurance plans preferred lower-priced plans with higher out-of-pocket costs, according to an Aon Hewitt analysis. The analysis was based on the use of a private online marketplace that Aon operates for two self-insured companies. Wall Street Journal.
AHIP: Hospitals Main Cause of Rising Health Care Spending
Hospitals are the main cause of rising health care spending in the U.S., according to a report from America’s Health Insurance Plans. The report used claims data on privately insured patients under age 65 and estimated price growth based on admissions rates and hospital location. AHIP researchers concluded that inpatient prices increased by 8.2% annually between 2008 and 2010, driven by more complex treatments and an increase in health care procedures. Modern Healthcare, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Columnist ‘Unsatisfied’ With CalPERS Indictments
Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik argues that even though former CalPERS CEO Fred Buenrostro and former CalPERS board member Alfred Villalobos have been indicted on charges of fraud, state “employees and taxpayers should still be unsatisfied.” He writes that CalPERS President Rob Feckner, Vice President George Diehr and board member Priya Mathur — who all served at the same time as Buenrostro and Villalobos — “should all have stepped down when the scale of alleged wrongdoing … was spelled out.” Los Angeles Times‘ “Money & Co.”
House Approves Rule To Limit Debate on Various Budget Proposals
Yesterday, the House approved a rule allowing four hours of debate on Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan and 30 minutes of debate on several alternative budget proposals. Ryan’s plan includes changes to Medicare and Medicaid. The Hill‘s “Floor Action Blog,” The Hill‘s “On The Money.”
Sacramento EDs See Spike in Visits for Primary Care
Since Sacramento County began making large budget cuts to public health clinics four years ago, an increasing number of low-income and uninsured residents are turning to emergency departments for primary care. County data show that since the cuts, patient visits to public health clinics have dropped by about 50%, or 80,000. Meanwhile, county EDs saw 132,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries in 2011, up from 94,000 in 2008, and 69,000 uninsured patients, up from 60,000 in 2008. Sacramento Bee.
House Lawmakers Offer Different Blueprints for Budget, Medicare
A proposal by House Democrats aims to balance the budget through tax revenues and spending cuts that would not affect Medicare and Medicaid. A blueprint by House conservatives aims to balance the budget in part by overhauling Medicare. The Hill‘s “On the Money” et al.