Latest California Healthline Stories
Columnist: First Lady’s Efforts Represent ‘Real Obamacare’
Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus writes that the “health care reform law seeks to address the shameful problem of 50 million people lacking insurance in one of the wealthiest nations in the world and to chip away at rising medical costs.” However, he adds that “if we’re really going to improve Americans’ health, we’re going to have to address the behaviors that contribute to our growing health care problems. The first lady is on the right track: We need to eat better and get more exercise, and not allow our digital toys to turn us into sofa spuds.” Lazarus concludes, “[W]e should follow the lead of the first lady’s common-sense advice: Eat well, exercise more, turn off the TV. That’s the real Obamacare. And it works.” Los Angeles Times.
Rise in Pertussis Cases as Vaccine Mandate Nears
The number of cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, continues to increase in California as state officials prepare for a new law that requires students in grades seven through 12 to receive the pertussis vaccine before entering school in the fall. The state has confirmed 1,189 whooping cough cases during the first quarter of 2011 — nearly double the number from the same period in 2010 and 10 times the number from first quarter of 2009. Gil Chavez — epidemiologist for California’s Department of Public Health — said this year’s increase could be attributed in part to increased awareness among physicians and health departments. Los Angeles Daily News.
CHA Opposing Bill Requiring Notations of Changes to EHRs
The California Hospital Association recently sent a letter to Sen. Mark Leno expressing opposition to a bill he authored that would require health care providers to record any modifications to data in patients’ electronic health records. In the letter, CHA notes that the bill would impose a significant cost burden on hospitals at a time when they already are facing federal mandates to implement health information technology. The Assembly Health and Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the measure on Tuesday. NextGov‘s “Health IT Update.”
Obama Administration To Halt Health Reform Law Waivers in Sept.
After Sept. 22, HHS no longer will accept applications for waivers exempting employers and labor unions from certain health reform law mandates. The GOP has criticized the waivers, but the announcement might quell debate over the issue in the upcoming election. New York Times et al.
Hospitals Nationwide Unnecessarily Perform Double CT Scans
Medicare claims data show that hospitals are routinely performing two chest CT scans on Medicare beneficiaries, unnecessarily exposing patients to double doses of radiation and driving up health care costs. New York Times, Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
Ruling Authorizes Lawsuits Over Certain Health Data Disclosures
The state Supreme Court ruled that Californians can sue those who disclose their medical records to a credit reporting agency. The ruling could have implications for privacy rules in other states. San Francisco Chronicle, Bay City News/San Francisco Appeal.
Opinion: Listen to Low-Income Residents on Health Reform
In a Kaiser Health News opinion piece, Peter Long — president and CEO of the Blue Shield of California Foundation — and Ian Morrison — an author and independent health care consultant — argue that “for health reform to truly take root, we should take our cue from the millions of low-income Californians who have the most at stake — and let their expectations inform implementation.” Long and Morrison write that a new survey conducted for the Blue Shield of California Foundation provides insight into how residents will respond to the health reform law. They conclude, “Far from the Supreme Court or Washington, D.C., how well our state and local health leaders respond to expectations of low-income Californians will ultimately determine the success of national health reform for this population.” Kaiser Health News.
Brown Faces Challenge in Reviving Budget Talks With Irked Lawmakers
Democratic legislators are expressing frustration after Gov. Brown vetoed their state spending plan last week. The governor is expected to encounter obstacles as he works to drum up support among both Democrats and Republicans for his tax measures and other budget proposals. Sacramento Bee et al.
Concerns Raised Over Marin County’s Shift to Medi-Cal Managed Care
Some patient advocates and independent pharmacists are concerned that Medi-Cal beneficiaries will face challenges obtaining coverage for certain prescriptions after Marin County transitions thousands of Medi-Cal beneficiaries to a managed care plan. Marin Independent Journal.
Hospitals Competing To Hire Primary Care Doctors
U.S. hospitals are competing to hire primary care physicians in an effort to establish accountable care organizations under the federal health reform law. Doctors say salaried hospital jobs could provide them with greater security as the cost of running a private practice increases. However, they also would have less freedom over how many patients they treat and could feel pressured to meet a bottom line. Washington Post.