Latest California Healthline Stories
Report Details Problems During Medi-Cal Managed Care Switch
A new California HealthCare Foundation report highlights problems California encountered while transitioning about 240,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries to managed care plans. Kaiser Health News‘ “Capsules,” Becker’s Hospital Review.
Study: Most Hospitals Will Break Even Under Value-Based Purchasing
A new Health Affairs study finds that the value-based purchasing program created by the health reform law will have little effect on hospitals’ payments. Experts say the VBP reimbursement changes might be too small to encourage hospitals to improve quality. Kaiser Health News et al.
Democrats Use First Night of Convention To Tout Health Reform Law
During the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, Democrats highlighted the health reform law’s popular provisions. Speakers, such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, also criticized Republicans’ health care plans. New York Times et al.
Opinion Piece Urges Early Reform Law Implementation
In a Payers & Providers opinion piece, Anthony Wright — executive director of Health Access California and member of the Payers & Providers editorial board — writes that California should work aggressively to implement the federal health reform law as early as possible. He writes, “It’s up to California and our health system — including payers, providers and patients, working together — to make reform real on the ground, to improve the health and financial security of all Californians.” Payers & Providers.
Sacramento State Nabs $750K for Mental Health Outreach
Sacramento State University will use more than $750,000 in grants to launch a new program that aims to help mental health counselors expand the services available to students. The grants — from the Sacramento County Mental Health Agency, the California Mental Health Services Authority and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration — will be used to pay for student assistants, campaign marketing, training and new online tools. Sacramento Bee.
HHS Says ACA Provisions Apply to Transgender People
In a recent letter to advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, HHS’ Office of Civil Rights clarified that provisions in the federal health reform law that prohibit sex-based discrimination in health insurance also apply to transgender individuals. The letter states that reform law provisions would make it discriminatory for insurers, employers and others to deny health insurance coverage or benefits based on “gender identity or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity.” Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
Anti-Soda Tax Group Targets Richmond’s Disclosure Rules
On Aug. 30, the Community Coalition Against Beverage Taxes — a beverage industry-backed group seeking to defeat a November Richmond city ballot measure that would levy a one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened drinks — filed a lawsuit in federal court against the city, arguing that its campaign disclosure laws violate the First Amendment. The lawsuit targets an ordinance that requires all campaign mailings to include the words “Major funding by” and identify the five largest donors. Contra Costa Times.
ACO Saved CalPERS a Total of $37M Over Two Years, Report Finds
A report finds that an accountable care organization formed by Blue Shield of California, Dignity Health and Hill Physicians Medical Group saved CalPERS $37 million over two years. The report says shorter hospital stays contributed to the savings. Los Angeles Times.
Report Calls for Lifting Medical Treatment Ban at Rehab Facilities
State Senate investigators want to lift a ban on health care services at private drug treatment facilities. A new report finds that outdated laws and inconsistent oversight have led to dysfunction and deaths at the facilities. California Watch.
CDC: Nearly One-Third of U.S. Residents Have High Blood Pressure
A new CDC report finds that 30.4% of U.S. adults, or about 66.9 million residents, had high blood pressure between 2003 and 2010. Of those individuals, more than half did not have the condition under control, according to the report. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.