Latest California Healthline Stories
Tobacco Firm Outspending Supporters of Cigarette Tax
During the first three months of 2011, supporters spent $424,000 to promote a state ballot measure that would raise the cigarette tax by $1 per pack to fund cancer research and smoking prevention activities. During the same time period, the Altria Group — which owns the cigarette company Philip Morris — spent $1.2 million to fight the proposed ballot measure. California Watch.
Index Offers Well-Being Scores for Five Distinct Clusters of Californians
A report from the American Human Development Index finds that California ranks 12th in the U.S. for the well-being of its residents. The report also divides Californians into five clusters based on their well-being scores. California Watch, Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Riverside County Mulls Cuts to Health Program for Severely Ill Children
Riverside County is considering reducing spending by $1.3 million by removing more than 400 children from its California Children’s Services program. The program provides coverage for children with costly illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
New Social Services Head To Receive $343,000 Annually
California’s new director of social services, William Lightbourne, will receive more than $343,000 in yearly pay and benefits under a new contract that runs from May 2011 through December 2014. Lightbourne will oversee the transfer of many social services from the state to local agencies as part of California’s effort to close its budget gap. Lightbourne has been the head of social services in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Francisco counties. Los Angeles Times.
San Diego City Council OKs Plan on Health Care Benefits
On Friday, the San Diego City Council voted 6-2 to approve a plan that would pare back retirement health care benefits for current city workers. The plan would subtract an estimated $330 million from a $1.1 billion long-term deficit in the benefits. The plan must receive the backing from a majority of city workers, and a vote is scheduled within the next month. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Governor To Unveil Revised Plan To Close California’s Budget Gap
This morning, Gov. Brown will release his revised budget plan to close the state’s $15.4 billion deficit. The plan is expected to account for new projections showing that state tax revenue is higher than expected. Bloomberg/San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Trustees Say Medicare Hospital Trust Fund Will Be Exhausted in 2024
A report from Medicare and Social Security trustees finds that the Medicare hospital insurance trust fund will be insolvent in 2024. The Obama administration notes that the federal health reform law has extended Medicare’s solvency by eight years. AP/Bloomberg BusinessWeek et al.
Insurers Take In Record Profits as U.S. Residents Spend Less on Care
Major U.S. health insurance companies are marking record profits for the third consecutive year as Americans scale back or delay medical care. Experts say many consumers are more aware of their health care spending following the economic recession. New York Times.
Editorial: Lawmakers Must Address Medicare Costs Now
On Friday, the trustees overseeing Medicare issued a report projecting “that rising costs will render the Medicare trust fund for hospital care insolvent in 2024,” a Los Angeles Times editorial states. “[F]ixing Medicare’s hospital insurance program would require the equivalent of a 21% hike in Medicare taxes or a 17% cut in benefits,” the editorial continues, adding, “When either [political] party has tried to tackle” this issue, however, “the other has responded by playing to seniors’ fears instead of addressing the problem.” The Times concludes that Congress “should cut the demagoguery, acknowledge the programs in [Medicare] and start debating how to solve them.” Los Angeles Times.
Lawmakers Pushing for Bills To Boost Safety at Mental Health Facilities
California legislators are advocating measures that aim to combat violence at state mental health care facilities. Among the proposals is a bill that would require officials to conduct violence assessments and place the most violent patients in special units. Los Angeles Times.