Latest California Healthline Stories
Legislators Send Brown Several Bills Relating to Health Care Reform
Lawmakers have sent Gov. Brown several bills relating to implementation of the federal health reform law. The bills would give the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance oversight of certain reform provisions. Sacramento Bee, AP/San Jose Mercury News.
Aetna Network Changes Affect Members in S.J. Valley
Aetna has sent letters to thousands of members in the central San Joaquin Valley — who receive care at Santé Community Physicians — to inform them that their physicians beginning Sept. 1 will no longer be under the health plan’s network. Aetna is negotiating individual contracts with some of the physicians. Patients under Aetna’s HMO and Medicare plans are not affected. Fresno Bee.
CalPERS Finds Pension Reform Bill Would Save $40B to $60B
A preliminary analysis by CalPERS finds that a public pension reform bill would save state and local governments between $40 billion and $60 billion over 30 years. CalPERS hopes to release a final analysis by Friday. Sacramento Bee, KPCC’s “KPCC News.”
Editorial: Safety-Net Hospital Penalties ‘Counterproductive’
While the “goal of reducing the number of Medicare patients who return to a hospital within a month of discharge is an admirable one,” the “penalties that safety-net hospitals must pay under the federal Affordable Care Act are counterproductive,” a Fresno Bee editorial argues. According to the editorial, “We support the goal of reducing Medicare costs,” but safety-net hospitals “shouldn’t face the same penalties as hospitals with substantially fewer poor patients.” Fresno Bee.
Report: California Had Ninth Highest Rate of Uninsured in 2010
A new Census Bureau report finds that California had the ninth highest rate of residents without health insurance in 2010. According to the report, 6.7 million of the state’s 32.5 million residents under age 65 lacked insurance that year. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert,” Census Bureau release.
Yosemite Warns of Potential Exposure to Rare Disease
On Tuesday, Yosemite National Park officials informed about 1,700 people who stayed at a low-cost lodging area this summer that they might have been exposed to a potentially fatal rodent-borne disease. According to email alerts sent by park officials, four individuals who stayed at Curry Village in June have contracted hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and two of them have died. Officials said symptoms — which can start from one to six weeks after exposure to contaminated air — include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting or cough. New York Times, Contra Costa Times.
Dentists Say Demand at No-Cost Clinic Shows Care Gap
More than 2,000 tooth extractions were performed at last weekend’s two-day no-cost dental clinic at Cal Expo. California Dental Association officials and volunteers say the high number of extractions demonstrates the negative effects of the state’s decisions in 2009 to cut adult Denti-Cal services and end school-based dental disease prevention programs. Sacramento Bee.
Opinion: 2010 Clean Energy, Air Law Key to Healthy State
In a U-T San Diego opinion piece, Mike Welch — a San Diego pediatric asthma and allergy specialist and a volunteer medical director for the American Lung Association in California — writes that a 2010 law (AB 32) “is driving California forward to use cleaner, renewable energy, as well as clean, low-carbon vehicles and fuels.” He adds, “AB 32 is also promoting the development of healthier communities,” and that such “efforts will create healthier air, bring tremendous public health benefits and reduce the burden on our health care system.” U-T San Diego.
Two Groups Join Effort To Monitor California Health Benefit Exchange
The California Medical Association and the Food & Drug Council have joined an alliance that monitors developments in the state’s Health Benefit Exchange. Alliance members include businesses, unions, health care providers, health insurers and patient advocates. Sacramento Business Journal.
Ryan Blasts Affordable Care Act in Speech at Republican Convention
At the Republican National Convention yesterday, Rep. Paul Ryan — the running mate of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney — said the federal health reform law “came at the expense” of Medicare beneficiaries because it trimmed $716 billion from the program. Politico et al.