Latest California Healthline Stories
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of June 15, 2012
The CEO of Children’s Hospital Oakland has said that the hospital might soon merge with UC-San Francisco’s Benioff Children’s Hospital. Registered nurses at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka recently held an informational picket to support nurses on strike at Petaluma Valley Hospital.
Democrats, Republicans Prepare for High Court Ruling on Reform Law
Democrats say they are confident that the Supreme Court will uphold the health reform law, but they are preparing in case the ruling goes the other way. If the court upholds part of the overhaul, Republicans plan to work to repeal the entire law. Washington Post, New York Times.
Blue Shield To Delay Benefits Decision Until SCOTUS Ruling
Blue Shield of California said it would not announce a decision to continue or stop offering some of the federal health reform law’s popular provisions until after the U.S. Supreme Court has issued its ruling on the law. Although three large insurers recently announced they would continue to offer the provisions regardless of how the court rules on the law, Blue Shield said it did not want to weaken the argument to uphold the law. Washington Post‘s “Wonkblog.”
Editorial Gives Modest Praise to Alternative Budget Plan
State Democrats’ response to the revised budget proposal from Gov. Brown is a “reasonably thoughtful alternative … that makes real progress on reducing the state’s structural deficit, this year and into the future,” a Sacramento Bee editorial states. The plan would “soften the blow on recipients of social services” compared with the governor’s budget and would rely on the state’s rainy day fund to offset the reduced cuts, the editorial notes, arguing, “What good is a rainy day fund if you don’t use it on rainy days?” Sacramento Bee.
Lawsuit Alleges Lap-Band Clinics Put Patients at Risk
Last week, two former employees of a surgery center associated with the 1-800-GET-THIN marketing campaign filed a lawsuit alleging that the centers used improperly sterilized equipment during Lap-Band weight-loss surgeries and failed to notify several patients who might have been exposed to hepatitis C. Los Angeles Times.
CNA Says Thousands of Sutter Hospital Nurses Participated in Strike
California Nurses Association officials say that thousands of nurses participated in a one-day strike yesterday at Sutter Health hospitals over stalled contract negotiations. Sutter officials say they hired replacement nurses who will work through Sunday. AP/Sacramento Bee.
GOP Questions Obama Administration About Reform Law Spending
Republicans are questioning various financial aspects of the health reform law, such how the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is awarding grants and how the Obama administration spent federal funds to promote the overhaul. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
U.S. Surgeon General Touts New Plan To Improve Health
At the California Museum on Wednesday, U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin discussed an action plan to improve Americans’ health by addressing obesity, tobacco use, racial and ethnic health disparities, and chronic diseases. The 17 federal departments and agencies that make up the National Prevention Council will collaborate for the first time on projects such as creating more tobacco-free environments and improving access to healthy, affordable foods. Sacramento Bee‘s Capitol Alert.
CalPERS Board Approves Plan To Hike Premiums by an Average of 9.6%
The CalPERS board of administration has approved a plan to increase health insurance premiums by an average of 9.6% next year. The rate hike is one of the largest in recent years and more than twice as high as this year’s 4.1% increase. Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee.
CBO: Reducing Smoking Would Raise Medicare, Social Security Spending
A Congressional Budget Office report finds that raising the federal excise tax on cigarettes by 50 cents per pack could increase Medicare and Social Security spending because a reduction in smoking would result in people being healthier and living longer. Fiscal Times et al.