Latest California Healthline Stories
UC-Davis Professor Receives Grant for Obesity Research
Adela de la Torre — director of the UC-Davis Center for Transnational Health — has won a five-year, $4.8 million grant to study ways to combat obesity in children of Mexican heritage. The study will focus on about 800 children and their families in the Fresno County towns of Firebaugh and San Joaquin. UC-Davis was one of 24 institutions to receive grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study obesity. Sacramento Bee et al.
Study: Caregivers Report a Number of Health Problems
Twenty-five percent of individuals who care for ill or elderly relatives say they suffer from depression, according to a survey released on Tuesday by California-based Caring.com, a website for caregivers. The survey found that 33% of caregivers report having high blood pressure and that more than half said they have trouble sleeping. In addition, more than 75% of respondents said they have concerns about how caregiving could affect their personal financial savings. Los Angeles Times‘ “Money & Company,” Reuters.
Report Pinpoints Rates of ‘Food Insecurity’ in San Diego
On Monday, Feeding America San Diego released a study on rates of “food insecurity,” which measures the availability of and access to food. According to the study, each year more than 440,000 San Diego County residents experience hunger, and 73.6 million meals are missed. The study also found that nearly 50% of residents who have difficulty affording food do not meet income requirements for CalFresh, the state’s food stamps program. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Editorial: Legislature Should Pass Insurance Oversight Bill
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that California lawmakers should pass a bill to give health insurance regulators “the power to review new rates before they [go] into effect and reject premiums that were excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory.” The Times notes that Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has said the bill “would let regulators combat the cycle of ever-increasing premiums by pressing insurers to strike better deals with providers,” adding that such deals might include “new risk-sharing arrangements that reward providers for keeping patients healthy.” Los Angeles Times.
Whistle Blower Alleges Ambulance Partnership Shortchanged San Diego
A recently unsealed whistle-blower lawsuit alleges that San Diego lost out on up to $12 million through an ambulance service partnership. The whistle blower agreed to dismiss the lawsuit as the city resolves the issue. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Few Health Care Groups Fully Report Donations Made to Political Entities
A review of business and campaign records finds that many health care organizations fail to fully disclose political spending. Three major health plans did not disclose funding given to an industry trade group that spent millions on political activity in 2009. Los Angeles Times.
High Court Nixes Early Review of Lawsuit Challenging Reform Law
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to grant an expedited hearing of a lawsuit against the federal health reform law. The high court’s decision means the lawsuit will proceed through a court of appeals, with arguments slated to begin May 10. Wall Street Journal et al.
State Regulations Hinder Development of New Nursing Home Model
A new nursing home model called the Green House Project provides long-term care services in a home-like setting. Although the new model has been deployed in 27 states, California’s regulations have stymied the adoption of the model in the state. HealthyCal.
Marin Group To Dole Out $2M for Community Health Efforts
The Marin Community Foundation’s Sutter Health Access to Care Fund will dole out $2 million in grants to bolster health care services for uninsured and underinsured Marin County residents. The funding will be put toward behavioral health services, breast cancer screenings, dental care, adult day care, vaccinations and other prevention services. The grants also will help cover preventive and primary health care premiums for children who lack insurance. San Francisco Business Times, Marin Independent Journal.
Changes Needed at Mental Hospitals, Editorial States
Recent violent incidents at California’s state-run mental hospitals have spurred several lawmakers to “ask for immediate help and fuller disclosures on security,” a San Francisco Chronicle editorial states. The editorial continues that small changes — such as stronger safety measures and amended treatment rules — would “ease the worst of the problems and buy time to consider an overhaul of the system.” San Francisco Chronicle.