Latest California Healthline Stories
Infections at Hospital Raise Questions About Surgeons With Illnesses
Hospital officials are considering which health conditions should prevent surgeons from operating on patients after a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center infected five patients with a skin inflammation through tiny tears in a surgical glove. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”
Report: Calif. Underspends on Anti-Smoking Initiatives
This year, California will receive about $1.6 billion in revenue from tobacco taxes and a 1998 settlement with tobacco manufacturers, according to a report released Thursday by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. However, the group estimates that the state will spend only $62 million on smoking prevention and cessation efforts. CDC recommends that California spend about $440 million annually on smoking cessation and prevention programs. KQED’s “State of Health.”
ACA Taxes To Increase Family Premiums, Study Finds
New taxes on health insurance policies under the Affordable Care Act will cause premium rates for families to increase by an average of $7,200 over 10 years, while generating about $100 billion for the federal government over that period, according to a study from America’s Health Insurance Plans. The insurance industry has urged lawmakers to repeal such taxes, arguing that they will cause a dramatic increase in premiums. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Patients at Overcrowded EDs More Likely To Die in Hospital, Study Finds
A study of California emergency departments finds that patients in overcrowded EDs are 5% more likely to die in the hospital than patients at less-crowded EDs. The study links ED overcrowding to 300 patient fatalities that occurred in 2007. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog,” Modern Physician.
Insurance Officials Warn Against Premium Hikes for Medigap Coverage
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is warning lawmakers not to raise premiums for supplemental Medicare coverage, known as Medigap plans. NAIC says such changes could lead beneficiaries to stop seeking needed care. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
California Launches Online Portal for Insurance Complaints
This week, the California Department of Managed Health Care launched a new website that allows consumers to submit grievance reports about health plans and affiliated providers. Officials said the portal was established in response to the expected influx of newly insured individuals under the Affordable Care Act. Payers & Providers, Sacramento Business Journal.
Bill Introduced To Boost Drug Compounding Oversight
On Wednesday, Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Nita Lowey introduced legislation that would bolster federal oversight of compounding pharmacies. The bill would require that FDA set minimum production standards for compounding facilities and that patients be notified that they are receiving them, among other provisions. The legislation was prompted by a national outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to contaminated drugs from the Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center. Modern Healthcare.
IOM Report: CIRM Should Work To Reduce Conflicts of Interest
An Institute of Medicine report recommends that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine work to reduce potential conflicts of interest by implementing several changes, such as altering the composition of its oversight board. U-T San Diego et al.
Bay Area Air Quality Better Than in Southern California
In 2010, air pollution in the San Francisco Bay Area’s nine counties was below the state average, according to CDC data on smog, soot and other ozone emissions that surpass U.S. regulatory standards. According to the data, Los Angeles and surrounding counties in Southern California had the highest number of high-pollution days in the state. San Francisco Chronicle.
Study: Fewer Young Doctors Opt for General Medicine
Less than one-quarter of young doctors finishing an internal medicine program choose a career in primary care over specialty medicine, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Higher salaries for specialty physicians tend to influence young doctors’ choices, the study authors wrote. The average annual salary for a PCP in 2010 was $202,392, compared with $356,885 for medical specialists. Reuters, Modern Healthcare.