Latest California Healthline Stories
Calif. Families Expect State To Investigate Gold Coast Coverage Denials
California families are expecting the state to investigate Gold Coast Health Plan’s denials of coverage for home care services. The health plan said the denials were for treatments that are not considered medically necessary. Ventura County Star.
Editorial: Don’t Delay Ventura Hospital Project Any Further
A Ventura County Star editorial argues that Ventura County officials should “move ahead with the project to build a replacement wing at the Ventura County Medical Center” even though the Board of Supervisors “failed Tuesday to muster the votes necessary to approve a project labor agreement … on the $250 million undertaking.” Ventura County Star.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of March 16, 2012
Registered nurses at six Tenet Healthcare hospitals have approved a new contract giving them a 13.5% pay hike over four years. Meanwhile, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors failed to approve a project labor agreement for a construction effort at Ventura County Medical Center.
Canadian Study Links Higher Payments, Better Outcomes
Higher-spending Canadian hospitals produced better patient outcomes than those that spent less, according to a recent Journal of the American Medical Association study. Researchers found that the higher-spending hospitals often were academic medical centers in urban communities with greater use of evidence-based care, skilled nursing and critical care staff, more intensive specialist services and advanced technology. The researchers noted that higher spending in U.S. hospitals might not guarantee the same benefit. Bloomberg et al.
1-800-GET-THIN Billboards Being Pulled Down in S. Calif.
Billboard advertisements for the 1-800-GET-THIN campaign are being pulled down across Southern California because contracts with two billboard companies to promote the Lap-Band weight-loss surgery have lapsed. FDA and Los Angeles County officials have expressed concern about the ad campaign, calling it misleading. Allergan — the Lap-Band’s maker — has said it will no longer sell the device to surgery centers tied to the campaign. Los Angeles Times.
Merck Pledges $90M for San Diego Drug Research Center
On Thursday, New Jersey-based drugmaker Merck announced that it will invest up to $90 million over seven years to establish The California Institute for Biomedical Research in La Jolla. The not-for-profit center, which will focus on research into new drugs and treatments, is expected to hire as many as 150 scientists and staff members. Merck would have priority to license any research results. AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
Healthy San Francisco To See Changes in Wake of Health Reform Law
As the federal health reform law is implemented, Healthy San Francisco could see a significant reduction in funding and beneficiaries. As a result, experts say the universal health care program likely will need to revert back to its safety-net roots. San Francisco Public Press.
CBO Report Describes Worst, Best Outcomes of Health Reform Law
A Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation report predicts that the outcome of the health reform law could range from 20 million U.S. residents losing job-based coverage to three million residents gaining such coverage in 2019. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
L.A. Attorney Gives $1.5M To Promote Her Tax Hike Plan
On Thursday, Los Angeles civil rights attorney Molly Munger contributed another $1.5 million of her own money into a campaign to qualify her tax hike proposal for the November ballot. The move came a day after Gov. Brown publicized a deal to merge his tax hike proposal with a rival tax initiative. Munger now has spent $3.4 million on her proposal. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
MedPAC Report Stumps for SGR Repeal, 1% Hospital Pay Increase
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has reiterated its support for overhauling the sustainable growth rate formula. The group also recommended increasing hospital inpatient and outpatient care payments by 1% in fiscal year 2013. Modern Healthcare et al.