Latest California Healthline Stories
Allergan Mulls Selling Troubled Weight-Loss Unit
On Tuesday, officials at Irvine-based Allergan announced that the company is considering selling its Lap-Band unit after five consecutive quarters of falling sales. The Lap-Band weight-loss device has faced broad criticism and scrutiny over its safety and effectiveness. Los Angeles Times, New York Times.
Analysis: ‘Dual Eligible’ Efforts Yield Limited Savings
Initiatives aimed at boosting care and curbing costs for individuals eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare have generated only modest savings, according to a Mathematica Policy Research analysis released Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Although “dual eligibles” account for a small segment of beneficiaries in Medicaid and Medicare, they represent a large portion of spending within each program. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Former WellPoint CEO Gives USC Center $25M Endowment
On Tuesday, the University of Southern California announced that it has received a $25 million endowment from USC professor and former WellPoint CEO Leonard Schaeffer to support research efforts at the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics that aim to reduce health care costs while boosting care quality. AP/Sacramento Bee.
Report Says Cost of Insurance Subsidies Continues To Climb
The estimated cost of providing health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act has increased by nearly 25% since the law was enacted, and the cost is expected to rise even further because of certain economic factors, according to a new report from the conservative American Action Forum. Report author Douglas Holtz-Eakin — president of AAF and a former director of the Congressional Budget Office — said that the cost of offering the subsidies could put further strain on the federal budget. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Blue Shield To Return $50M in Credits as Part of Profit Cap Pledge
Blue Shield of California has announced it will distribute $50 million in rebates to policyholders this year as part of its promise to cap profits at 2% of revenue. The insurer already has returned $470 million to policyholders since making the pledge. Los Angeles Times et al.
Poll Results Close on Prop. 30; Prop. 37 Has Low Support
The latest voter tracking survey from the California Business Roundtable and Pepperdine University finds that 49.2% of voters say they support Proposition 30 — the tax-hike measure that Gov. Brown developed with supporters of the “Millionaires Tax” — while 42.9% say they oppose it. The poll also finds that support for Proposition 37 — which would require new labels for genetically engineered foods — is lower than 40%. Ventura County Star.
Romney Gains Ground on Several Health Care Issues, New Poll Finds
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll finds that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has narrowed President Obama’s lead on several health care issues. On Medicare issues, 46% of respondents say they trust Obama more and 41% say they trust Romney more. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules” et al.
Insurers Express Interest in Participating in State’s Insurance Exchange
More than 30 insurers and other organizations have expressed interest in participating in California’s health insurance exchange, according to an official. Meanwhile, the exchange board has settled on “Covered California” as the new name of the exchange. Los Angeles Times.
Calif. Health Exchange Board OKs Sale of Stand-Alone Vision Plans
Yesterday, the California Health Benefit Exchange board unanimously voted to reverse a previous policy decision and allow the sale of stand-alone vision plans to individual customers in the insurance exchange. Sacramento Bee et al.
Soda Industry Spends $1.3M To Fight El Monte Soda Tax
The American Beverage Association has spent about $1.3 million to oppose Measure H on the El Monte ballot, which would add a penny-per-ounce tax to soda sales to balance the city budget and fund anti-crime and wellness programs. Proponents of the measure have spent only $57,000 in favor of the tax. KPCC’s “KPCC News.”