Latest California Healthline Stories
National Suicide Prevention Strategies Use Health IT
This week, federal health officials and military officers announced a new national strategy aimed at preventing suicide. The initiative relies on Facebook, mobile applications, interactive websites and other technologies to identify at-risk individuals and offer treatment. Reuters et al.
CMS Set To Penalize Hospitals With High Readmission Rates
More than 2,000 U.S. hospitals — including some top-ranked facilities — will lose about $280 million in Medicare reimbursements over the next year under a reform law provision that penalizes hospitals for readmitting patients within 30 days of discharge. Kaiser Health News/Chicago Tribune.
Experts See Opportunity in Recent IOM Report on Health Care Spending
An Institute of Medicine report on unnecessary spending in the U.S. health care industry could be an effective resource for efforts to cut costs and improve care quality, according to experts. The report highlights several initiatives aimed at curbing health care costs. New York Times.
Experts Say Valley Fever Cases at Epidemic Levels in Some Areas of Calif.
Public health experts say that valley fever has reached epidemic levels in some regions of the state. Efforts to curb the fever are hampered by misdiagnoses and a lack of research funding, which often goes to higher profile diseases like the West Nile virus. KQED’s “State of Health.”
Study: ACO Precursor Spurs Savings in Medical Practices
A five-year program considered a precursor to the Affordable Care Act’s Medicare accountable care organization program generated $532 in average annual savings per “dual eligible” patient, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Such patients are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Launched in 2005, CMS’s Physician Group Practice Demonstration involved 10 large medical practices nationwide and awarded bonus payments based on practices’ ability to meet spending and quality benchmarks. Modern Healthcare et al.
Census Report: Rate of Uninsured Californians Among Highest in U.S.
A new Census Bureau report finds that 19.7% of California residents did not have health insurance last year, the fifth highest rate in the U.S. According to the report, there were 7.4 million uninsured residents in California in 2011. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert” et al.
$10B ACA Fund Helps Boost Local Public Health Initiatives
The Affordable Care Act’s $10 billion Prevention and Public Health Fund is helping some local governments fight obesity and other public health problems. Some scientists doubt that the small-scale public health campaigns can work to significantly reduce obesity, but certain public health experts say the programs could spur a cultural shift. New York Times.
Not-for-Profit Tech Firm Nabs $300K Grant for ACA Project
The California HealthCare Foundation has awarded a $300,000 grant to Oakland-based Social Interest Solutions — a not-for-profit health care technology firm — to support ongoing efforts to track and analyze the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and to continue to advance enrollment modernization efforts. Sacramento Business Journal.
75 CalPERS Vendors Agree To Reduce Workers’ Fees by 5%
On Wednesday, CalPERS CEO Anne Stausboll announced in a statement that 75 vendors have voluntarily agreed to reduce their fees by at least 5% in the current fiscal year. The 5% cut, which amounts to a total of $657,000 in fee reductions, is in line with a 5% pay cut that was imposed on most state workers. Sacramento Bee.
Editorial: All Calif. Students Should Receive Vaccinations
A Stockton Record editorial argues that “it’s almost counterintuitive” that “children in private schools are being protected from some of the most dreadful diseases at much lower rates than those in public schools.” According to researchers, about 15% of private school students don’t receive the recommended vaccinations, compared with 5% of public school students, it notes. The editorial concludes, “It’s not just your child’s health at stake. It’s also the health of your child’s classmates.” Stockton Record.