Latest California Healthline Stories
Ventura County Board OKs Funds for New EHR Initiative
On Tuesday, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve $5.75 million in additional spending for an electronic health records system initiative. The money will be used to train county health care workers while the new EHR system is implemented. The total cost of the EHR system will be more than $41 million, most of which is covered by federal grants. Ventura County Star.
Calif. Senate Mulls Bill To Require Contracts for Hospital Executives
The state Senate is considering a bill that would require health districts to enter into written contracts with hospital administrators or CEOs. The bill, which passed the Assembly, was developed after an audit found that a former hospital CEO worked for 26 years without a written contract. HealthyCal.
Poll: 53% of Calif. Voters Report Difficulty Paying for Health Care
A Field Poll finds that more than half of California voters struggle to pay their health care bills, a rate mostly unchanged since 2007. The poll finds that 46% of voters have delayed care because of cost concerns. San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee.
Report Ranks Calif. 41st for Kids’ Well-Being, 23rd for Kids’ Health
A new report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s “2012 Kids Count Data Book” and Children Now ranks California 41st among U.S. states for children’s well-being. The report also ranks the state 23rd for children’s overall health. Ventura County Star, Contra Costa Times.
Concerns Raised About Limiting Rx Drug Access for Medicaid Enrollees
Doctors have voiced concern about states’ efforts to curb Medicaid spending by restricting coverage of prescription drugs. California and 15 other states limit the number of prescription drugs that Medicaid beneficiaries can obtain each month. Kaiser Health News/USA Today.
Calif. Residents Expected To Receive $73.9M in Insurance Rebates
Health insurers are expected to issue about $73.9 million in rebates to about 1.8 million California policyholders under the medical-loss ratio provision in the federal health reform law. The average rebate amount in the state is expected to be about $65 per family. Sacramento Bee.
Report Identifies Pollutants in Private Wells Near Fresno
At least one contaminant that exceeded safe drinking water limits was found in 70% of 28 private wells in the unincorporated community of Easton in Fresno County, according to a new report commissioned by the Easton Community Services District. Among the contaminants discovered in the water were nitrates, bacteria and DBCP, a federally banned pesticide. California Watch.
About 5% of SEIU Local 1000 Support Furlough Deal
About 4,750 workers represented by SEIU Local 1000 — or about 5% of the union’s 93,000 members — last month voted to support a labor agreement with Gov. Brown that included a new round of furloughs for one year. About 7,223 members cast ballots, according to sources familiar with the vote. The union was not required to send the agreement out for rank-and-file approval because it was not a renegotiation of the entire contract. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
Alameda County Votes To OK Rx Drug Disposal Measure
On Tuesday, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to require drugmakers to collect and safely dispose of unused prescription drugs. Failure to comply will result in a daily $1,000 fine. Pharmaceutical industry officials opposed the measure. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
L.A. City Council Bans Medical Pot Dispensaries
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted 14-0 to ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the city. The measure, which the mayor is expected to sign, would force the city’s 762 dispensaries to shut down immediately or face legal action. In a separate vote, the council approved a plan to study allowing 182 dispensaries to open in the future after more extensive analysis is done by the city Planning Department. Contra Costa Times, Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now.”