Latest California Healthline Stories
Study: Many Medicare Enrollees Experience Duplicative Testing
A study finds that about half of Medicare beneficiaries who received diagnostic tests had the same procedure unnecessarily repeated within three years. Such practices increase health care costs and make it less likely for doctors to take new patients. Modern Healthcare, Reuters.
Obama Administration To Release ACA Decisions Soon
In the near future, the Obama administration is expected to announce several decisions on how provisions of the Affordable Care Act will be implemented. Federal officials likely will issue guidance on how it will allocate $36 billion in cuts to hospitals that treat a large number of uninsured patients and how health plans included in state health insurance exchanges will be designed, priced and sold, among other issues. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
Flame Retardants Linked to Kid’s Health Issues, California Study Finds
A new UC-Berkeley study finds that certain flame retardants are linked to lower IQs and poorer coordination in children. Study authors say individuals should clean household items and wash their hands to reduce exposure. KQED’s “State of Health,” Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
President, Lawmakers Move Toward Deal To Avoid Medicare Cuts
President Obama and leaders in Congress have agreed on an approach to avoid Medicare provider cuts and other mandated spending reductions under sequestration. Both Republicans and Democrats said they would make concessions to reach a deal. Wall Street Journal et al.
Kaiser Permanente Lays Off 530 Union Workers in Southern California
Kaiser Permanente has laid off 530 employees working in Southern California. Officials did not disclose where the layoffs took place, but said the move is part of cost-cutting measures taken to prepare for implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Los Angeles Daily News et al.
CalPERS Files Lawsuit Claiming Pfizer Misled About Pain Medications
CalPERS and other organizations have filed a new lawsuit against Pfizer, alleging that the company misled them about the safety of pain medications Bextra and Celebrex. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, in addition to interest and attorney fees. Reuters.
California Faces Implementation Tasks for Health Benefit Exchange
Officials seek to complete several tasks before the state health insurance exchange opens for enrollment in the fall of 2013, such as developing an online enrollment system and negotiating cost and coverage details with health insurers. Sacramento Bee.
Editorial: California Set To Take Full Advantage of ACA
A San Jose Mercury News editorial argues that “[no] state in America is better positioned to take full advantage of President Barack Obama’s health care reforms than California.” It concludes, “Obama’s re-election gives California an opportunity to solve many of its health care challenges. With the head start it has gotten, the state should become a model for the nation to follow.” San Jose Mercury News.
Fewer State Workers Retiring in 2012 Than in 2011
From January through the middle of November, 9,721 California state workers retired and applied for their first pension checks, a nearly 9% decrease from the same period last year, according to new CalPERS statistics. CalPERS also found that the total number of state and local government retirement applications from January through the middle of November is nearly 8% lower than it was during that period in 2011. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
Medicare ‘Doc Fix’ Expected During Lame Duck Session
On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey — co-chair of the GOP Doctors’ Caucus — said that he is confident that Congress during the lame duck session will approve a one-year patch to avert a scheduled 27% reduction to Medicare physician reimbursement rates. Gingrey said the caucus has discussed a plan that would use savings included in Sen. Tom Coburn’s recently released report on wasteful government spending to produce the $18 billion needed to offset the cost of a one-year payment freeze. Modern Healthcare.