Latest California Healthline Stories
Groups Call for Tougher Air Pollution Health Standards
In a report released Wednesday, the American Lung Association in California, the Clean Air Task Force and Earthjustice said that as many as 4,230 premature deaths could be prevented in urban Southern California if the Environmental Protection Agency strengthens federal health standards for fine-particle material, like diesel soot and other potentially harmful pollutants. Research has linked the fine particulate matter to serious health ailments, including heart attacks and lung problems, and higher death rates. Last month, the Obama administration missed a statutory deadline to implement new standards for the fine pollutants. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Audit: Sacramento County Meeting Mental Health Needs
A new audit from a private consultant and the California Department of Mental Health found that Sacramento County’s mental health system has responded in innovative ways to the closure of a crisis unit and the loss of beds at another facility because of budget constraints. The audit concluded that the county is meeting the needs of mental health patients but that some patients have complaints about access to care. Sacramento Bee.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of November 18, 2011
UC-Davis Medical Center has opened a $22 million pediatric intensive care unit at UC-Davis Children’s Hospital. Meanwhile, Garfield Medical Center has paid $530,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
CHW To Use Monitoring Tool in Labor, Delivery Settings
Catholic Healthcare West has reached a three-year, $4.3 million deal with Texas-based Airstrip Technologies to implement the company’s remote monitoring technology for patients in labor and delivery settings. The tool will provide physicians with remote access to data including fetal heartbeats, contraction patterns and vital signs. The application will be made available across CHW’s facilities in Arizona, California and Nevada. San Francisco Business Times.
House Passes Amended Bill To Fix Loophole in Health Reform Law
The House has passed a bill to repeal a contractor withholding tax and fix a health reform law loophole that would have let some middle-income retirees qualify for Medicaid. The bill now goes to President Obama, who has said he will sign it. New York Times, Los Angeles Times.
Study: Family Health Insurance Premiums Up by 52% in State
A Commonwealth Fund report finds that family health insurance premium costs for Californians rose by 52% from 2003 to 2010. According to the report, premium costs now consume more than 21% of residents’ income. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
LAO: Calif. Falls $3.7B Short of Fiscal Year’s Revenue Expectations
A report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that California will fall $3.7 billion short of revenue expectations this fiscal year, raising the possibility that triggered cuts to health and human services programs could take effect later this year. Ventura County Star et al.
Physicians Back Palliative Care To Boost Quality of Life
A poll conducted by the Regence Foundation for National Journal found that nearly all physicians said they support medical care services that focus on quality of life for dying patients over efforts to extend patients’ lives for as long as possible. The poll, which surveyed 500 board-certified physicians, found that 96% of respondents emphasize quality of life over length of life and that a similar majority said the U.S. health system should prioritize palliative care services. Eighty-two percent of respondents cited reimbursement as an issue hindering better palliative care. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
SEIU-UHW Eyes Care Quality in New Contract Negotiations
On Tuesday, Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West began contract negotiations with Catholic Healthcare West with a focus on improving quality of care. The union represents more than 15,000 employees at 32 CHW hospitals in California. SEIU-UHW’s platform, called “Let’s Get Healthy California,” aims to reduce chronic diseases by working with Gov. Brown and the Legislature to adopt new state policies; recruit and train 25,000 new health care workers; and organize 10,000 health care workers and community partners to launch a statewide campaign to boost wellness, coordinate care and improve health education. The union plans to use the same approach when it begins negotiations with Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and other not-for-profit health care systems next year. Sacramento Business Journal, San Bernardino Sun.
S.D. City Police Officers Propose Joining CalPERS
The San Diego Police Officers Association has developed a proposal that would allow city police officers to join the CalPERS health program. Union leaders said the plan could save the city $3 million annually and reduce its $1.1 billion deficit for retiree health care by $16 million. The union has asked the San Diego Office of the Mayor to begin labor negotiations early to address any issues with the proposal. The next contract is scheduled to begin July 1. San Diego Union-Tribune.