Latest California Healthline Stories
U.S. Budget Deal Cuts Funds for Community Clinic Growth
The 2011 federal budget agreement reached last week would remove $600 million from a $1 billion fund to support the expansion of community health centers, which are expected to help provide care for millions of newly insured patients under the federal health reform law. Of the remaining funds, $150 million is available to finance expansions for the clinics. California has about 800 community clinics in operation. HealthyCal.
Obama Signs Legislation To Remove Reform Law Tax-Reporting Provision
On Thursday, President Obama signed legislation to repeal a tax-reporting rule within the federal health reform law. The removal of the 1099 provision marks the first instance in which a part of the reform law has been eliminated. Modern Healthcare, CQ HealthBeat.
Obama Proposes Plan To Cut Federal Spending by $4T Over Next 12 Years
Yesterday, President Obama proposed a preliminary debt reduction plan that would reduce government spending by $4 trillion over the next 12 years. The plan calls for $480 billion in cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, but largely would preserve the programs. Washington Post et al.
CBO: U.S. Budget Bill Lowers Spending Far Less Than Projected
The Congressional Budget Office finds that the 2011 federal budget deal would produce much lower savings than lawmakers expected. CBO says the pact would reduce spending by $352 million this year, less than 1% of congressional estimates. AP/Washington Post et al.
Jones Joins Suit Charging Sutter Health With Fraudulent Billing
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has intervened in a whistle-blower lawsuit claiming that Sutter Health routinely overcharged insurers and billed for anesthesia services that never were performed. Sutter denies the allegations. Sacramento Bee et al.
SEIU-UHW Instates Executive Board, Concludes Trusteeship
The Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West has elected a new executive board and officially ended a trusteeship that began in January 2009. The 340-member executive board is led by President Dave Regan — a former trustee — and Vice President Stan Lyles — an SEIU member who is employed at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. Sacramento Business Journal.
Editorial: Defunding Planned Parenthood Would Hurt Care
A San Jose Mercury News editorial argues that “cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood actually would cut off millions of women from health care, including cancer screenings, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and, yes, contraception.” It continues, “Opponents of abortion have a right to argue for making it illegal,” adding, “But using Planned Parenthood as a symbol and cutting its funding will create massive collateral damage among the poor women who will lose health care.” San Jose Mercury News.
Riverside County’s First 5 Seeks To Protest Funds Shift
On Wednesday, the First 5 Riverside County Children & Families Commission voted to recommend that Riverside County join a lawsuit challenging lawmakers’ move to redirect $1 billion from the state’s First 5 program’s early childhood development services to health care programs. It remains unclear when the county’s board of supervisors will act on the recommendation. So far, Fresno, Madera, Merced and Orange counties have taken legal action arguing that the funding shift violates the requirements of Proposition 10, which was approved in 1998 to use tobacco taxes to generate funding for early childhood education and health programs. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
CMS Posts Hospital-Specific Incidents for California, U.S.
CMS has posted data on hospital-acquired conditions, which include incidents of foreign objects left inside a body during surgery, urinary tract infections, and injuries sustained from preventable falls and other trauma. The data were posted to the nationwide Hospital Compare website. In California, 45 hospitals reported 54 incidents between October 2008 and June 2010 in which a patient retained a foreign object. Payers & Providers.
House Passes Legislation To Remove Prevention and Public Health Fund
The House has approved a bill that would eliminate a provision in the federal health reform law allocating $15 billion for preventive care and public health services. Senior White House advisers likely would encourage the president to veto the legislation. AP/Washington Post et al.