Latest California Healthline Stories
Millions of Americans Lack Access to Dental Care, Report Finds
A new report by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council finds that tens of millions of U.S. residents lack access to dental care. IOM offers recommendations for improving dental care access, such as increasing Medicare payment rates for dentists. HealthDay et al.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of July 15, 2011
A local commission is delaying a decision about the possible elimination of Mt. Diablo Health Care District until Gov. Brown decides whether to sign a certain bill. Meanwhile, Stanford University has received final approval to start its $5 billion hospital expansion project.
Blue Shield Agrees To Provide Coverage for Autism Therapy
Blue Shield of California has reached a deal with the Department of Managed Health Care agreeing to cover certain autism therapies. The Department of Insurance also is calling for the insurer to stop denying such claims. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Report Predicts States Will Save Up to $129B by 2019 Under Reform
Between 2014 and 2019, states stand to save between $92 billion and $129 billion because of the federal health reform law, according to a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute. Fierce Health Finance, United Press International.
UCSF Study Backs Idea That Medical Errors Go Up in July
A new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine supports the common perception that medical errors and inefficiencies peak in July, when veteran residents check out of teaching hospitals and new medical school graduates check in. For the study, UC-San Francisco researchers and colleagues analyzed 39 published studies on the “July effect.” They found that the most robust studies suggested that patient death rates at teaching hospitals increased between 8% and 34% in July and that patients admitted in July often face longer hospital stays, longer procedures and higher charges. New York Times et al.
Report Gauges Value of Plans in Health Benefit Exchanges
A new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute estimates that health insurance policies offered through state health benefit exchanges could be worth nearly $60 billion by 2014 and nearly $200 billion by 2019. The federal health reform law calls for the creation of state health benefit exchanges. The report also predicts that consumers using the exchanges will acquire “purchasing power that will make health insurers want to work harder to win their business and loyalty.” Healthcare Finance News, Health Data Management.
Charles Drew University Removed From Academic Probation
An accrediting agency recently released Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science from academic probation. The university said the decision to lift the probation stemmed from several recent improvements at Charles Drew. Los Angeles Times‘ “L.A. Now” et al.
Inmates, Officials Await State Action on High Court Ruling
State officials and prison inmates are waiting to see how lawmakers will comply with a Supreme Court ruling ordering California to reduce its prison population by more than 33,000 in part because of inadequate medical and mental health care. So far, Gov. Brown has approved a plan to have inmates convicted of non-violent crimes serve their sentences in county jails instead of state prisons. Some state officials and advocates of prison reform say that the ruling ultimately could improve the prison system, including the health care services it offers. PBS NewsHour’s “The Rundown.”
Adult Smoking Rate in Calif. Reaches All-Time Low, State Data Show
New data from the Department of Public Health show that California’s adult smoking rate declined to 11.9% last year, the lowest level in the state’s history. Health officials attribute the decline in tobacco use to a statewide campaign to reduce smoking. Sacramento Bee et al.
Catholic Healthcare West To Give Grants to Not-for-Profits
Community Hospital of San Bernardino and St. Bernardine Medical Center are calling for applications for the Catholic Healthcare West Community Grants program. The initiative will provide not-for-profit organizations with grants of up to $25,000 for programs focused on offering health services to underserved populations. The program is designed to improve the health status and quality of life for individuals who live in regions served by Catholic Healthcare West hospitals in Arizona, California and Nevada. Riverside Press-Enterprise.