Latest California Healthline Stories
Proposed Rules Outline Penalties Under ACA’s Individual Mandate
The Obama administration has released proposed rules describing how the government plans to levy penalties for noncompliance with the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate. The proposed rules include exemptions from the mandate for several groups. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
UC Students Protest Lifetime Limits in Student Health Plan
Thousands of UC students have signed a petition to urge university officials to voluntarily lift a $400,000 lifetime medical bills cap in the UC student health plan. Although the Affordable Care Act prohibits such caps in most health insurance plans, it exempts “self-funded” college health plans in which universities take on the financial risk of medical claims. San Francisco Chronicle, KQED’s “State of Health.”
Calif. Beach Cities Boosting Residents’ Health, Poll Finds
Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach have seen reductions in obesity and smoking rates and improvements in residents’ exercise and healthy eating habits, according to a new well-being index poll released Wednesday by Gallup. Since 2010, the beach cities have been participating in the Blue Zones-Healthways Project to promote healthy lifestyle habits. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Outpatient Surgery Centers Criticized for Overbilling Practices
Patients and insurers say that outpatient surgery centers in California and across the U.S. are billing insurers exorbitant amounts for out-of-network care. The centers argue that the criticisms are unjustified and that they help reduce health care costs. Los Angeles Times.
Some Labor Groups That Backed ACA Now Voicing Concern About the Law
Many unions that supported the Affordable Care Act now are concerned that the law could increase their health insurance costs and make their workers less competitive. The groups want lower-paid union members to be eligible for federal insurance subsidies. Wall Street Journal.
O.C. Supervisor Nguyen Slams Grand Jury’s CalOptima Report
On Wednesday, Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen slammed a new grand jury report that criticized Nguyen for her role in what it described as an implosion of CalOptima, the county’s Medi-Cal managed care plan. Nguyen said the grand jury “failed in its mission and completely missed the mark,” adding, “Everyone rushed to judgment … no one has done their homework.” Orange County Register.
Lawmakers, Groups Comment on Worker Wellness Rule
U.S. lawmakers and interest groups are seeking clarity on a proposed rule that would allow employers to award workers as much as 30% of their health coverage costs for participating in wellness programs, an increase from the current 20%. In a letter, a group of House Democrats wrote that although the rule does establish requirements for how a wellness program must be designed, those requirements are not based on science. Meanwhile, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a letter warned that the proposed rule could undermine the success of wellness programs by allowing individual accommodation. In addition, the National Committee on Quality Assurance recommended in a letter that its Wellness and Health Promotion Accreditation program be used to establish a better definition of reasonable program design. Modern Healthcare.
ACA Workforce Panel Has Yet To Meet, Senators Say
On Tuesday, members of a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging subcommittee said that a panel called for by the Affordable Care Act to prepare for an anticipated health care provider shortage has not yet been funded or convened. Under the ACA, the National Health Care Workforce Commission is supposed to examine health care workforce needs in rural and “medically underserved” areas and the capacity of the nursing workforce, among other issues. Politico.
Most Californians Approve of the Affordable Care Act, Poll Finds
A Public Policy Institute of California poll finds that 55% of state residents support the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the poll finds that 69% of residents support Gov. Brown’s new budget plan, while 51% approve of his work as governor. HealthyCal et al.
Columnist: Stem Cell Agency Must Make Key Changes
Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik argues that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s governing board “can’t dodge” the Institute of Medicine’s recent recommendations “for changes in its membership and its authority over the spending of its $3-billion endowment.” The report “showed CIRM the path to cleansing itself of its aura of connivance and influence trading,” Hiltzik writes, concluding, “That the board can’t even bring itself to place the proposals before the voters or their elected representatives only shows how much money it’s willing to waste to keep living in its own little world.” Los Angeles Times.