Latest California Healthline Stories
UCSF, Safeway Collaborate on Anti-Smoking Program
UC-San Francisco’s School of Pharmacy and the Safeway grocery store chain plan to partner on a smoking cessation program. Under the program, Safeway pharmacists will offer information on anti-tobacco medication options and a referral to the California Smokers’ Helpline to patients who smoke. The program will launch at 20 Safeway stores in California, with a goal of expanding nationwide later this year. Payers & Providers.
Report: Calif. Hospitals’ Total, Operating Margins Increased in 2010
A report finds that the median total and operating margins for California hospitals in 2010 were higher than in the previous nine years. However, experts say the Affordable Care Act could present cost challenges for state hospitals in coming years. Healthcare Finance News.
Calif. Nursing Home Chain Agrees to Settlement With State
As part of a settlement with the state attorney general’s office, Skilled Healthcare Group will pay $350,000 annually for two years to cover the cost of an independent monitor that will conduct surprise inspections of the nursing home chain and report back to the attorney general’s office on its compliance with state staffing laws. Skilled Healthcare received 76 citations from the Department of Public Health from 2008 to 2012, most of which were related to inadequate staffing. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Hearing Questions EHRs’ Link to Medicare Overbilling
Last week, National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari and a panel of policy experts held a hearing on whether electronic health record systems could be contributing to health care providers improperly billing higher fees to Medicare. Panel members acknowledged that the group had little information about whether EHRs are improperly contributing to rising health care costs. Critics say Mostashari’s review relies too much on panel members with close ties to the health IT industry. Center for Public Integrity.
Lawmakers Seek Audit of Reports on Mentally Ill People With Guns
Republican lawmakers in the Assembly have requested an audit of whether information about individuals with mental illnesses who possess firearms is being fully and immediately reported to the California Department of Justice. KPCC News’ “KPCC News,” The Fresno Post.
Federal Government Will Run Health Insurance Marketplaces in 26 States
The federal government will run health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act in 26 states. Meanwhile, seven states will partner with the federal government on exchanges and 17 states and the District of Columbia will run their own marketplaces. Washington Post et al.
GOP Rejects Senate Democrats’ Plan To Avoid Mandated Spending Cuts
Over the weekend, Republicans rejected a proposal by Senate Democrats to prevent mandated spending cuts — including a 2% reduction to Medicare reimbursement rates — under sequestration, suggesting little chance that a compromise will be reached. Wall Street Journal et al.
Assembly Panel To Consider Legislation To Expand Medi-Cal
On Tuesday, the Assembly Health Committee will consider a bill, by Assembly Speaker John Pérez, that would expand Medi-Cal coverage to individuals earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $15,415 annually. The legislation also would streamline the Medi-Cal enrollment process to help sign up hundreds of thousands of eligible residents who are not yet enrolled. Los Angeles Times, KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Geography To Play Bigger Role in Calif. Health Insurance Costs
Geography likely will be a bigger factor in insurance costs under the Affordable Care Act. California plans to use 19 regions to set premiums, more than the federal government’s recommendation of seven regions. AP/Sacramento Bee, AP/KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Fewer Patients Affected by Large Breaches, Report Finds
Although the number of large-scale health data breaches increased from 2011 to 2012, the number of patients affected by such breaches decreased last year, according to a report from audit firm Redspin. The report also found that about 57% of the more than 21 million patient records affected by large-scale breaches were linked to business associates and 38% of all protected health data breaches occurred on a laptop or other portable device in 2012. FierceHealthIT.