Latest California Healthline Stories
Riverside County Plans To Review, Improve EMS System
Riverside County has tasked consulting firm Abaris Group with conducting a comprehensive review of the county’s emergency medical services system. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has called for an EMS overhaul plan based on Abaris’ report to be completed by March 2014. Murrieta city officials said they are hopeful the county will be able to address shortfalls in its EMS System that were raised in a 2008 white paper. U-T San Diego.
Healthgrades Gives California Most Hospital Excellence Awards
A Healthgrades report finds that California has 44 “Clinical Excellence Hospitals” and one of the highest percentages of eligible hospitals that received the award in the U.S., based on performance for designated conditions. Medscape, HealthLeaders Media.
Editorial: Calif. Has ‘Rare’ Chance To Improve Medi-Cal
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that Gov. Brown made “the right choice” in supporting an expansion of Medi-Cal, under the Affordable Care Act, as part of his fiscal year 2013-2014 budget proposal. It concludes, “With the federal government footing all the treatment costs for the newly eligible for three years, the state has the rare opportunity to explore ways to improve Medi-Cal, rather than just struggling to hold down expenses,” adding, “The state and counties can decide later how to split the long-term bill.” Los Angeles Times.
Analysis: ACA’s Medicaid Expansion Likely To Be Unevenly Implemented
An analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine predicts that the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion will be unevenly implemented, resulting in substantial gaps in health insurance coverage when the law takes full effect in January 2014. Reuters, NEJM analysis.
Obama’s Plan To Curb Gun Violence Includes Mental Health Directives
President Obama has unveiled nearly two dozen executive actions and proposals to Congress that seek to reduce gun violence. The executive actions include orders for the administration to issue final rules implementing the 2008 Mental Health Parity Act. MedPage Today et al.
Crowdfunding Sites Help People Pay Medical Bills
More people are turning to crowdfunding websites to ask friends, family members and strangers for assistance in paying medical bills. Crowdfunding sites provide people with a digital platform to describe why they need money and post updates to a network of donors. The sites typically collect donations and forward them directly to the individual in need, who can decide how to use the funds. USA Today.
Steinberg Says Retiree Health Costs Must Be Addressed
During a meeting with the press on Wednesday, Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg said California lawmakers must address the cost of retiree health benefits. Last year, State Controller John Chiang released a report that estimated that providing health care benefits to state retirees will cost more than $62 billion over 30 years. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
Report Gives California Low Grades for Smoking Cessation Efforts
An American Lung Association report criticizes California’s smoking cessation efforts, suggesting that the state should allocate more funding for anti-smoking initiatives, force insurers to pay for anti-smoking treatment and remove exemptions from rules for smoke-free locations. Payers & Providers et al.
L.A. Ballot Could Include Three Medical Pot Measures
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted 11-1 to approve a directive for city lawyers to develop language for a May ballot measure that would restrict the number of medical marijuana dispensaries permitted to operate in the city and levy a tax increase on medical marijuana sales. Two other medical marijuana initiatives already have qualified for Los Angeles’ May ballot. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Contractors Failing To Monitor Fraud at Some Mental Health Centers
According to a report by HHS’ Office of Inspector General, private contractors in some fraud-prone states are falling short of their requirements to monitor and report fraudulent Medicare claims and other problems involving community mental health centers. Modern Healthcare.