Latest California Healthline Stories
California Awarded $22M for Chronic Disease, Prevention Initiatives
California has nabbed $22 million in federal funds that are part of a nationwide initiative to combat chronic disease and boost community health. According to HHS, the funding is separated into implementation and capacity building categories. Merced Sun-Star et al.
Opinion: ‘Bold’ Air Standards Can Improve Public Health
As the California Air Resources Board drafts standards intended to “reduce emissions that cause smog and particle pollution,” the board should remember that “adopting advanced clean car standards could avoid more than $7 billion in costs to our health, our economy and our environment,” Michael Peterson — a volunteer physician with the American Lung Association in California and councilor of the California Thoracic Society — writes in Fresno Bee opinion piece. The American Lung Association in California urges the board “to remain bold in its commitment to cleaning our air” and “adopt standards that achieve the greatest possible public health benefits,” Peterson writes. Fresno Bee.
Insurance Commissioner Continues To Push for Rate Regulation Measure
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is maintaining his push for a bill to give him the authority to reject health insurance rates deemed excessive. The bill failed to pass this year, but advocates are generating support in advance of next year’s legislative session. Palm Springs Desert Sun.
Obama Administration Does Not Petition Court on Reform Ruling
The Department of Justice has not asked an appeals court to reconsider a lawsuit against the health reform law. Experts say the decision increases the likelihood that the Obama administration will ask the Supreme Court to rule on the law in its next term. Politico et al.
Sacramento State Nursing School Nabs $300K Donation
Catholic Healthcare West has donated $300,000 to the School of Nursing at California State University, Sacramento. The nursing school is trying to raise $1.8 million to help address an estimated shortage of 12,000 nurses by 2014. University President Alexander Gonzalez said funding raised through the campaign will go toward teaching equipment that will help the nursing program continue its reputation for “excellence in educating nurses.” Sacramento Business Journal.
Lawsuit Challenging Medi-Cal Cuts First on High Court’s Agenda
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in a California lawsuit challenging Medi-Cal cuts when it convenes next week. The case, which is first on the court’s docket, could have implications for a planned Medicaid expansion under the health reform law. CQ Weekly.
Opinion: Reform Law Will Hinder Insurance Expansion
The latest U.S. Census Bureau data indicate that since 2009, the nation’s uninsured population increased by 919,000 to 49.9 million, figures that proponents of the federal health reform law “have cited … as proof of the need for ObamaCare,” Sally Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece. However, “any coverage gains delivered by the law will undoubtedly be undermined by the law’s $800 billion in tax increases,” and “many employers are also set to drop the coverage they offer” because of the law’s “mandates and regulations,” Pipes argues. She adds that “the uninsured rate won’t fall unless the economy starts humming again. Unfortunately, ObamaCare’s billions of dollars in new taxes and regulations won’t allow that to happen.” Wall Street Journal.
Editorial: Obama’s Medicare Plan ‘a Good Starting Point’
A New York Times editorial notes that “President Obama’s plan to cut $248 billion from Medicare over the next decade as part of his deficit reduction plan has drawn heat from all sides,” but it argues that “the proposal is a good starting point that can be modified in either direction — to increase savings or to protect vulnerable beneficiaries.” The editorial continues, “There are ways President Obama could get bigger savings from Medicare, perhaps by accelerating the start date for the new charges on beneficiaries or making them apply to all enrollees,” adding, “That would have to be done carefully to avoid undue harm.” It concludes, “Obama has already wisely pledged to veto any cuts to Medicare benefits that are not part of a package that raises serious revenues from the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations.” New York Times.
GAO: More Oversight of Drug Discount Program Required
A new Government Accountability Office report recommended that the Health Resources and Services Administration increase its oversight of Medicaid’s 340B program, which offers discounted brand-name drugs to facilities that serve low-income patients or provide outpatient care. The GAO report found that the number of hospitals in the program has risen from 591 in 2005 to 1,673 in 2011. The report said HRSA’s oversight is inadequate because it relies on self-policing. HRSA officials agreed with GAO’s recommendation but noted that the agency lacks sufficient funding to increase oversight of the program. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch,” Modern Healthcare.
Some Doctors Refuse To Treat Children Without Recommended Vaccines
Some pediatricians are turning away unvaccinated children because of exposure risks to other patients. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that physicians should not refuse treatment to children without vaccinations. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.