Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Reform Law Could Leave 1.7M Kids Uninsured, GAO Finds
The federal health reform law could leave as many as 1.7 million children uninsured even after it expands health insurance eligibility to about 5.3 million children, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. Modern Healthcare.
9% of U.S. Employers To Drop Coverage Within 3 Years, New Report Finds
A new Deloitte study finds that about 9% of U.S. employers plan to drop health insurance coverage for their workers within the next three years. Experts say the federal health reform law has prompted some businesses to reconsider the benefits that they offer. Wall Street Journal.
Hospital Readmissions Fall Slightly, Medicare Data Show
Hospital readmissions rates in the U.S. have dropped only slightly despite CMS-led campaigns and the threat of financial penalties, according to Medicare data released last week. Twenty percent of Medicare patients were readmitted to a hospital within one month of discharge from 2008 to 2011, according to data posted on CMS’ Hospital Compare website. On Oct. 1, CMS will implement penalties for hospitals with above-average readmissions rates. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
Calif.’s Nursing Homes Rated Best in Three Quality Markers
California’s skilled nursing facilities performed the best in three of the 18 quality indicators used to evaluate U.S. nursing facilities on CMS’ Nursing Home Compare website, according to the California Association of Health Facilities. The state’s facilities received the highest marks for preventing depression and weight-loss and for the least amount of decline in residents’ daily activities. Sacramento Bee.
Latino Health Advocates Concerned With Speed of Exchange Planning
Members of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California say they are worried about how fast the California Health Benefit Exchange is being planned. They also are concerned about the state’s shortage of physicians. KQED’s “State of Health,” KQED’s “The California Report.”
Health Care Providers Weigh Actions After Anthem Order
Health care providers are considering their next steps after state officials ordered Anthem Blue Cross to stop seeking reimbursements for alleged overpayments of claims that are more than one year old. Sacramento Business Journal.
‘Mission Has Changed’ for Calif. Health Data Exchange
At last week’s Redwood MedNet Conference, titled Connecting California To Improve Patient Care 2012, Pamela Lane — deputy secretary of Health Information Exchange at the California Health and Human Services Agency — acknowledged that the “mission has changed” for the state’s health information exchange. The strategic and operational plan for the statewide HIE has been revised, and the UC-Davis Health System is set to take over as the state’s new HIE partner. Healthcare IT News.
International HIV/AIDS Conference Comes to Washington, D.C.
About 20,000 HIV/AIDS researchers, advocates and policymakers are coming together in Washington, D.C., this week for the 19th International AIDS Conference, marking the first time that such a conference has taken place in the U.S. in 22 years. AP/San Francisco Chronicle et al.
San Ramon Hospital Unveils Online ED Sign-In Service
Patients can pay $9.99 to use an online sign-in service to reserve a specific time to see a physician at San Ramon Regional Medical Center’s emergency department. The fee is refunded if patients wait more than 15 minutes to receive treatment. Hospital officials note that the sign-in service is not designed for serious conditions that need immediate attention. Contra Costa Times.
Brown OKs Bill Boosting Penalties for Illegal Medical Spa Treatments
Gov. Brown has signed a bill that would increase the fines and jail time for individuals found guilty of illegally operating medical spas and similar businesses. Bill supporters say penalties under an existing state law were not a deterrent. Sacramento Business Journal.