Latest California Healthline Stories
Opinion: Latinos Must Be Part of Long-Term Care Discussion
“Addressing the needs of aging Latinos in [California] is not an issue that can be ignored or put off for future generations” when “a coming wave of need for services threatens the financial security of many Latinos,” SCAN Foundation CEO and President Bruce Chernof writes in a HealthyCal opinion piece. “Californians must prepare for this wave of long-term care needs … and Latinos must be part of this conversation,” he adds. “Through leadership, prioritization and resolute action, we can find solutions so that all Californians can age with dignity in their communities for years to come, even in difficult financial times,” he concludes. HealthyCal.
Health Officials Say Treasure Island Safe From Radiation
Two dozen publicly accessible locations on Treasure Island have been deemed safe from radiation and do not pose a health threat, according to surveys by the California Department of Public Health. The surveys were conducted following complaints that U.S. Navy-affiliated contractors mishandled contaminated material at the sites. Bay Citizen/California Watch.
Medical School Applications Increase by 3.1% From 2011
The number of students applying to medical school increased by 3.1%, to more than 45,000, from 2011 to 2012, according to newly released data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. AAMC said that there were record numbers of applications and enrollments by racial and ethnic minorities. The data were released amid projections that the U.S. faces a shortage of as many as 90,000 physicians by 2020. Modern Physician, Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules.”
Report: ACA Repeal, Medicaid Block Grants Would Curb Spending
A Kaiser Family Foundation report finds that a Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act and convert Medicaid into a block grant system would reduce federal spending by $1.7 trillion by 2022 and result in fewer U.S. residents with Medicaid coverage. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules” et al.
CalPERS Nabs Two Awards for Computer Benefits System
On Tuesday, CalPERS announced that its “my|CalPERS” benefits tracking system received two awards of excellence from Government Computer News and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. When the system launched in September 2011, it encountered several problems, including erroneous health policy cancellations and payment delays. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
California Considers Strategies for Treating Uninsured Immigrants
State officials and providers are looking into ways to treat immigrants who will remain uninsured after the Affordable Care Act takes effect, such as undocumented immigrants and lawful immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for less than five years. HealthyCal.
State Officials Express Confidence in Gold Coast Improving Operations
California health officials are confident that Gold Coast Health Plan can successfully implement a corrective action plan imposed by the state. Earlier this year, the state received complaints about late payments and poor management at Gold Coast. Ventura County Star.
States Take Action To Boost Child-Only Insurance Policies
Twenty-two states — including California — and the District of Columbia have taken action to promote the availability of child-only health insurance policies, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund. Many insurers previously said they were concerned that their costs would substantially increase under an Affordable Care Act provision intended to expand health coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. According to children’s health advocates, states’ efforts to promote the child-only policies have encouraged insurers to re-enter the child-only market, and in some cases new insurers have begun selling the policies. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
Some Schools Fail To Comply With Drinking Water Laws
Last year, one in four California public schools failed to comply with state and federal laws requiring schools to provide no-cost, fresh water where students receive or consume food, according to a soon-to-be published survey led by researchers from UC-San Francisco. Schools cited cost and lack of knowledge about the laws as the main reasons for not providing water at mealtimes. California Watch.
Lawmakers Call for HHS To Help Curb Medicare ID Theft
On Monday, two GOP leaders on the House Ways and Means Committee — Reps. Wally Herger and Sam Johnson — issued a statement calling on HHS to help protect the personal data of Medicare beneficiaries by removing Social Security numbers from Medicare ID cards. According to the statement, a recent HHS Office of Inspector General report that highlights problems with the agency’s response to Medicare identity theft should serve as a “wakeup call” for HHS to take action. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”