Latest California Healthline Stories
Calif. OKs Rule Making Insurers Spend More of Premiums on Care
The Office of Administrative Law has approved a regulation requiring insurers to put a larger share of premiums toward medical care. The rule aligns with a federal health reform law provision. Insurance Journal, CDI release.
2012 Forecast for Calif. Hospitals Predicts Fiscal Problems, Closures
A forecast by the California Hospital Association highlights challenges that hospitals are likely to face in 2012, including economic hurdles and aggressive union negotiations. The forecast says some hospitals, especially rural facilities, are at risk for closure. Payers & Providers.
Report: More California Doctors Are Submitting Electronic Prescriptions
A new report by Cal eConnect finds that about 25% of California physicians currently send prescriptions electronically, up from 3% in 2007. However, the report also notes that only about 16% of eligible prescriptions are sent electronically. Healthcare IT News, Cal eConnect report.
NIH Gets Funding Boost for Alzheimer’s Research
On Tuesday, the Obama administration announced that NIH will spend more than $500 million on Alzheimer’s research in 2013. According to the announcement, NIH also will allocate an additional $50 million for research this year. AP/Sacramento Bee.
Report: More People To Use Smartphones To Check Health
A Juniper Research report predicts that about three million people will be using smartphone-powered remote patient monitoring devices by 2016. The report estimates that consumers will download 44 million mobile health applications this year and about 142 million in 2016. FierceMobileHealthcare et al.
Many Doctors Withhold Truth From Their Patients, Study Finds
A new Health Affairs study finds that about one-third of doctors do not believe they should disclose all serious medical errors to patients. Meanwhile, about 11% of physicians said they had lied to a patient or a patient’s guardian in the last year. HealthDay et al.
Democrats To Unveil Plan To Fund Payroll Tax Cut, Medicare ‘Doc Fix’
Today, Democrats likely will release a plan to offest the cost of a payroll tax cut extension and a delay to scheduled Medicare reimbursement cuts. Earlier this week, Democrats rejected a set of GOP proposals. Modern Healthcare, CQ Today.
S.F. Archbishop Blasts Federal Govt.’s Contraceptive Policy
San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer has joined other Catholic bishops nationwide in opposing a new Obama administration policy that requires employers to cover birth control and other contraceptive services under their health plans. California since 2001 has had a law in place requiring employers that offer prescription insurance to cover contraception. San Francisco Chronicle.
FDA Grants Priority Review to Genetech Breast Cancer Drug
On Tuesday, San Francisco-based Genentech announced that FDA will give its experimental breast cancer treatment pertuzumab a priority review. Genetech, a unit of Roche, said the agency will make a decision about the drug by June 8. San Francisco Business Times.
Group Halts Pension Reform Ballot Measure Campaign
On Wednesday, the conservative group California Pension Reform suspended its campaign to place a public employee pension reform proposal on the November ballot because of fundraising problems and other issues. Group officials blamed the issues on a “false and misleading” summary of their proposal by the state Attorney General’s office. AP/Contra Costa Times, Sacramento Bee.