Latest California Healthline Stories
UCLA Health System Agrees To Pay $865K Over Privacy Breaches
As part of a settlement with federal officials, UCLA Health System agreed to pay $865,500 over claims that its workers improperly viewed celebrities’ electronic health records. The health system also submitted a corrective plan. Los Angeles Times et al.
Health Affairs Study Finds Wide Variation in Medicaid Prices, Services
A new study published in the journal Health Affairs finds that some states spend two times as much on Medicaid beneficiaries as other similarly sized states. Researchers say the study could help states compare prices and quantity of services. CQ HealthBeat et al.
Calif. Scientists Conducting Long-Term Study Using DNA
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente and UC-San Francisco have collected voluntary DNA samples from more than 100,000 Kaiser members as part of a long-term study on various health-related issues. The scientists will use patients’ DNA, responses to questionnaires and medical records to track issues such as aging, prescription drug reactions and race-related health disparities. Patients have the option to formally withdraw from the study, which is funded by a nearly $25 million grant from NIH. Sacramento Bee.
Study: Medicaid Program Contributes to Better Health for Beneficiaries
Compared with uninsured, low-income individuals, Medicaid beneficiaries are more likely to visit a physician and report overall good health, according to a study. Medicaid patients also are less likely to forgo paying other bills because of medical costs. New York Times et al.
Editorial: Medicaid Cuts Must Focus on Boosting Efficiency
“There is no doubt that Medicaid … has to be cut substantially in future decades to help curb federal deficits,” but the “government needs to ensure any changes will not cause undue harm to millions,” a New York Times editorial states. The editorial adds, “The best route to savings … is to make the health care system more efficient overall so that costs are reduced for Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers as well.” New York Times.
UC-Davis Wins NIH Grant for Emergency Medicine Research
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at NIH has awarded a five-year, $3.3 million grant to UC-Davis for emergency medicine research. Nathan Kuppermann — professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the UC-Davis School of Medicine, and director of UC-Davis Medical Center’s emergency department — said the funding will be put toward improving care of patients with acute illness or traumatic injuries. Sacramento Business Journal.
Critical Access Hospitals in Rural Areas Lag in Care Quality, Study Says
A study finds that critical access hospitals in rural communities have higher death rates and lower quality of care compared with non-critical access facilities. Researchers also say critical access hospitals are less likely to have electronic health records. Modern Healthcare, HealthDay.
State Levies Fine Against L.A. Care Health Plan for Claims Mismanagement
The Department of Managed Health Care has imposed a $25,000 fine on L.A. Care Health Plan for mismanaging claims and failing to pay proper penalties and interest for late payments. The health plan says it has amended its claims management system. Payers & Providers.
Labor Unions Push for Improved Safety at State Mental Health Hospitals
A group of four labor unions is calling for the Department of Mental Health to bolster safety protections at California’s mental health hospitals. Meanwhile, several pending bills also aim to address hospital safety issues. Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker” et al.
Many States Opt for Budget Cuts Over Raising Taxes
As a strategy to address a combined budget deficit of $86 billion, a number of state legislatures have moved to cut spending instead of raise taxes. States are being hit in part with the loss of increased Medicaid funding, which was provided through the federal economic stimulus program and ran out on June 30. For example, California placed a soft cap on annual physician visits for Medi-Cal beneficiaries and enacted a 10% pay cut to health care providers. Wall Street Journal.