Latest California Healthline Stories
Martinez City Council To Keep Full Insurance Coverage
Beginning in January 2013, Martinez city council members will have to pay more for their prescription drugs and cover the costs for hospitals stays and physician co-pays, but the city will continue to absorb the full costs for their health and dental insurance. Last year, a Contra Costa civil grand jury urged Martinez and other cities to reconsider paying for elected officials’ health coverage. Contra Costa Times.
Experts Puzzled by Imperial County Asthma Statistics
Children with severe asthma in Imperial County are three times more likely to need a visit to the emergency department or be hospitalized, compared with other regions in the state, according to data from the state Department of Public Health. Experts say they are unable to pinpoint the cause of the high rates of ED visits and hospitalizations. Los Angeles Times.
Brown Issues Furlough Orders for Last Two Worker Unions
Last week, the California Department of Human Resources issued a memo outlining a 4.62% reduction in hours and pay for about 12,000 state employees whose unions did not negotiate a salary cut with Gov. Brown. Nineteen other unions agreed to the same furloughs, which amount to eight unpaid hours off per month for full-time workers through June 30, 2013. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker.”
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of July 13, 2012
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee says he will not agree to California Pacific Medical Center’s construction deal unless its affiliate, Sutter Health, agrees to keep St. Luke’s Hospital open for 20 years. A judge approved KPC Group’s purchase of Victor Valley Community Hospital.
Scripps Nabs Federal Grant To Develop AIDS Vaccine
On Wednesday, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced that the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla and Duke University will share grants totaling up to $186 million over seven years to conduct research and develop a vaccine for HIV/AIDS. U-T San Diego.
12 Governors Affirm Commitment to Health Insurance Exchanges
The governors of California and 11 other states have sent letters expressing their commitment to creating state-based health insurance exchanges under the federal health reform law, according to a blog post by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
Auditor Highlights Errors in State Hospital Bond Program
On Thursday, State Auditor Elaine Howle sent a letter to Gov. Brown reporting that the California Health Facilities Financing Authority often misjudged when to sell bonds for construction and improvement projects at children’s hospitals. As a result, the state paid “as much as $16 million in interest annually on the idle capital while the state was facing cash shortfalls,” Howle wrote. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal.”
Backers of Tobacco Tax Hike Request Recount in Some L.A. Counties
This week, supporters of an initiative to raise the tobacco tax to fund cancer research have requested a ballot recount in 191 Los Angeles County precincts. The official Proposition 29 campaign conceded defeat in the June 5 primary several weeks ago. Sacramento Bee.
Adult Film Condom Mandate Likely for L.A. County Ballot
At a meeting on Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors seemed amenable to a November ballot measure that would require adult film actors to use condoms. Supporters of the proposal — which would mirror a Los Angeles city ordinance — have collected more than 370,000 signatures to qualify it for the ballot. The board could vote on the proposal as soon as July 24. Los Angeles Times.
House Democrats Seek Federal Health Benefits for Same-Sex Partners
More than 130 House Democrats filed an amicus brief on behalf of a California federal court employee urging the government to allow same-sex spouses of federal workers to receive federal health care benefits. Washington Post‘s “Federal Diary,” Washington Post‘s “Federal Eye.”