Latest California Healthline Stories
Counties Work To Help Californians Navigate Bridge to Reform System
County officials are working to educate residents about enrolling and participating in the California Bridge to Reform program, which aims to provide health coverage to low-income uninsured adults before broader federal health reform provisions take effect in 2014. HealthyCal.
Records as Gov. Show Health Care Views of GOP Candidates
All three GOP presidential candidates who are current or former governors have promised to repeal the federal health reform law, but they have had divergent views on health policy. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has struggled to defend the state’s health reform law he enacted while condemning the federal overhaul, which many say was modeled after the Massachusetts law. Catherine Frazier, a spokesperson for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, said Perry “looks to free-market solutions” and “believes that expanding government-sponsored insurance is not the answer.” Meanwhile, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has remained quiet about his former support of an insurance mandate, which was included in a 2008 state law to reduce the number of uninsured state residents. New York Times, USA Today‘s “On Politics.”
Colo. Plan To Ease Enrollment in Exchange Faces Challenges
Colorado lawmakers are divided over a proposal for a one-stop Internet portal that would determine coverage eligibility within the state’s developing health insurance exchange. Democrats say the approach would ensure that all residents can be informed of their eligibility for such programs. However, Republicans argue the approach would cost the state millions of dollars by promoting Medicaid and other safety-net programs for which citizens can qualify. Pueblo Chieftain.
Federal Debt Committee Gearing Up To Hold First Meeting This Thursday
The panel’s first meeting will feature opening statements from members and consideration of proposed rules. Next week, the committee will hold its first public hearing and receive testimony from the Congressional Budget Office. National Journal, New York Times‘ “The Caucus.”
UnitedHealth To Take Over California Physician Group
Last week, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the management arm of Monarch HealthCare, a 2,300-member independent practice association in Irvine. The deal involves UnitedHealth’s Optum health services division, which also has taken over management operations of two other southern California groups: AppleCare Medical Group and Memorial HealthCare Independent Practice Association. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Minneapolis Star Tribune et al.
Rule Requiring Insurers To Post Reasons for Rate Increases Takes Effect
A provision under the federal health reform law requiring health insurers to publicly post justifications of rate hikes exceeding 10% has taken effect. The change applies to nearly 35 million individual or small-group plans. Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times.
Calif. Groups Secure Grants for Public Health, Research
Last week, HHS awarded $40 million in grants to public health departments around the U.S. to bolster their infrastructure and create jobs. The California Department of Public Health, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency received funding through these grants. Meanwhile, Blue Shield of California Foundation awarded $20,000 to CHICO Women’s Health Specialists as part of efforts to strengthen the statewide network of community clinics and health centers and extend health care services to uninsured residents. In addition, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has awarded research planning grants to five teams at UC-Davis Health System. Healthcare Finance News et al.
Online App Helps Families Apply for Children’s Coverage
The Web-based application Health-e-App now is available to help families apply for health insurance coverage for their children. The online tool allows users to apply for children’s coverage through Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. Health-e-App was developed by the California HealthCare Foundation in partnership with the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board and the state Department of Health Care Services. Fontana Herald News.
Editorial, Opinion Pieces Weigh Basic Health Program
“Lawmakers should approve” legislation that would establish a Basic Health Program to “give low-income families an alternative to the insurance exchange that California is creating,” a Los Angeles Times editorial states. John Ramey — executive director of Local Health Plans of California, which represents not-for-profit health plans — writes in Sacramento Bee opinion piece that under the Basic Health Program, “more Californians will be able to afford insurance and have access to health care providers” because “premiums and cost-sharing” in the program “are estimated to be less than in the exchange.” In a separate Bee opinion piece, Jim Wunderman — president and CEO of the Bay Area Council — writes that the program “would effectively remove 700,000 people from” the state’s Health Benefit Exchange and place them into “a government-run, Medi-Cal-type program,” which “has the potential to shift more costs to California businesses and to raise the cost of insurance premiums for middle-class consumers who purchase their insurance through the exchange.” Los Angeles Times et al.
Federal Appeals Court Rules Insurer Must Pay for Anorexia Treatment
An appeals court has ruled Blue Shield of California must pay for anorexia treatment, citing provisions of the state Mental Health Parity Act. The ruling could have implications for how insurers pay for treatment in states with mental health parity laws. Los Angeles Times et al.