Latest California Healthline Stories
GOP Members of Debt Panel Could OK Taxes in Exchange for Health Cuts
An unnamed source recently said that Republicans on the new debt committee might consider tax increases in exchange for Democrats agreeing to health care cuts. Meanwhile, several medical groups have sent letters to the debt panel outlining their recommendations. Reuters et al.
Some Beneficiaries Misusing Medicare Rx Drug Program
Thousands of beneficiaries have been exploiting the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program to obtain large quantities of painkillers, according to a Government Accountability Office investigation. About 170,000 Medicare beneficiaries — fewer than 2% of total enrollees — received prescriptions from five or more physicians for 14 frequently misused medications in 2008, according to the report. “Medicare beneficiaries may be seeking several medical practitioners to support or disguise an addiction” or to sell to others, the report stated. AP/Washington Post, New York Times.
Editorials, Opinion Piece Tout Maternity Coverage Measures
A Sacramento Bee editorial argues that “Gov. Jerry Brown should sign Senate Bill 222 and Assembly Bill 210, which would require that health plans sold in the individual and small group markets cover maternity care starting in July 2012.” A Los Angeles Times editorial adds that “the bills would raise” costs “in the short term, [but] providing prenatal care to more women will reduce the incidence of premature births, which cost Californians an estimated $2 billion each year.” Meanwhile, Mary Wiberg — executive director of the California Commission on the Status of Women — writes in a Capitol Weekly opinion piece that SB 222 and SB 299, its companion legislation, would “balance the scales for California women” and help ensure “the health of not only our future Californians, but the future of the state of California itself.” Sacramento Bee et al.
Calif. Beach Cities Use Grants To Promote Healthy Lifestyles
The cities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach are using more than $5 million in local and national grants to promote healthy lifestyle habits as part of three-year effort to reduce obesity and hypertension rates and lower hospital admissions and health care costs. The region was selected to become the country’s first “Vitality City.” As part of the project, the cities received $3.5 million from Tennessee-based Healthways and $1.8 million from the Beaches Cities Health District to implement various projects, such as adding bike lanes and creating healthier school lunches. The region also will have access to the services of health and city planning experts throughout the U.S. Los Angeles Times.
Lawsuit Filed Against Stanford Following Patient Data Breach
Stanford Hospitals & Clinics says it will defend itself against a $20 million lawsuit filed by a patient on behalf of 20,000 other patients whose medical data were breached. The lawsuit claims Stanford violated a medical data privacy law. San Jose Mercury News, Palo Alto Weekly.
Public Health Officials in Calif. Combat STIs Using Technology-Based Tools
California public health officials are using technology-based strategies to combat rising rates of sexually transmitted infections, especially in communities that traditionally are underserved. Such initiatives include sending text messages with sexual health information. HealthyCal.
Report: Living Costs in Calif. Exceed Federal Poverty Level
The Insight Center for Community Economic Development’s 2011 Self-Sufficiency Standard report found that a four-member family in California would need to earn more than $63,000 annually — or nearly three times the federal poverty level — to cover basic needs, such as health care, housing and food. According to the report, the pre-tax income necessary to cover basic expenses for the average family of two working, married adults with two young children ranged from $53,775 in Tulare County to $86,629 in Marin County. Although wages have remained stagnant since the center’s 2008 report, there were double-digit increases in living costs throughout the state. California Watch, Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Home Health Care Firms Inappropriately Billed Medicare, Report Finds
A Senate Finance Committee report finds that home health care agencies Amedisys, Gentiva Health Services and LHC Group ordered medically unnecessary treatments to trigger additional Medicare payments. The firms questioned the report’s findings. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch” et al.
Virginia Seeks Health Reform Lawsuit Review in High Court
Last week, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking a review of an appellate court’s decision to reject the state’s challenge to the federal health reform law. In the challenge, Cuccinelli argued that the individual mandate is unconstitutional and conflicts with a law that protects state residents from federal insurance mandates. However, in September, judges at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the state lacks legal standing to file it. Reuters, Politico.
Report: U.S. Workers’ Share of Premiums To Rise 10.6%
In 2012, U.S. workers’ share of annual health insurance premiums are expected to increase by 10.6%, to $2,306, as employers seek to have their employees pick up more of the cost of health benefits, according to new Aon Hewitt projections. According to Aon, workers’ share of health care costs has nearly doubled since 2005, when employees paid an average of $1,192 annually, or about 17%, of total insurance costs. Aon also estimated that out-of-pocket costs for employees will increase by about 13%, to $2,275, in 2012. New York Times‘ “Prescriptions.”