Latest California Healthline Stories
HHS Unveils $1B Effort To Cut Medical Errors, Improve Patient Safety
Federal health officials have announced a new patient safety initiative that will tap up to $1 billion in federal health reform law funds to reduce adverse medical events. A number of health care provider organizations have pledged to participate in the effort. Los Angeles Times et al.
California, Other States File Brief in Defense of Health Reform Law
State Attorney General Kamala Harris recently signed an amicus brief defending the constitutionality of the federal health reform law. Attorneys general in eight other states and the District of Columbia joined Harris in filing the brief. Lake County News.
Doctors Worried Over Pay Rates for Ventura County’s Medi-Cal Plan
Ventura County has recruited 144 primary care doctors and 523 specialists to participate in a restructured Medi-Cal plan slated to launch on July 1. Many physicians say they are hesitant to participate in the plan because of low reimbursement rates. Ventura County Star.
Hospital Pharmacies Dealing With Drug Supply Depletions
Hospital pharmacies in California and around the nation are dealing with shortages of drugs that, such as anesthesia, chemotherapy and heart attack medications. Officials say the reasons for the drug scarcity issue vary, including product discontinuation and recalls, manufacturing facility closures and outsourcing production lines to other countries. According to Lee Klevens — pharmacy director at Riverside County Regional Medical Center — public hospitals especially can be affected by drug shortages because they care for a greater number of patients who have a wider assortment of illnesses. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Marin County Doctor Group Seeking To Expand Network
The Marin Independent Practice Association is aiming to augment its network with physicians in Sonoma County and Healdsburg District, Palm Drive and Santa Rosa Memorial hospitals. The expanded Marin-Sonoma IPA would have about 500 primary care providers and specialists. North Bay Business Journal.
More Details Released From FY 2011 Federal Budget Agreement
Early Tuesday, House Republicans made public more specifications of the long-term fiscal year 2011 federal spending pact, which would adjust funding for several health care-related programs. The House could vote on the measure on Wednesday. CQ Today et al.
Editorial: An ‘All Cuts’ Budget Would Hurt Health Care Jobs
“Gov. Jerry Brown is now drawing up a new ‘all cuts’ budget to close a $15.4 billion state deficit, … but the human and fiscal costs of such a plan may outweigh savings,” a San Francisco Chronicle editorial states. The editorial provides projected job loss figures associated with cuts to health care programs, including in-home supportive services; Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program; and child care programs. The editorial adds that such a budget would “further weake[n] the state’s economy and ad[d] at least a point to the state’s 12.2% unemployment rate.” San Francisco Chronicle.
Report: One-Quarter of U.S. Adults Have Public Coverage
One in four U.S. adults has health coverage through Medicare, Medicaid or military and veterans’ benefits, according to a report by Gallup-Healthways. The report found that 25.7% of respondents said they have government-supported health insurance coverage, compared with 25.3% last year, 24.6% in 2009 and 23.4% in 2008. UPI.
Brown Continues Efforts To Drum Up Support for Proposed Tax Measure
Yesterday, Gov. Brown asked prison guards and advocacy groups to lobby GOP lawmakers to support his tax proposal. The governor has threatened to impose deep spending cuts if the state fails to close its remaining deficit with tax revenue. AP/Ventura County Star et al.
Obama’s Multiyear Debt Reduction Plan To Seek Health Program Savings
Tomorrow, President Obama is scheduled to announce the development of a multiyear debt-reduction plan that would attempt to find Medicare and Medicaid savings without restructuring the programs. The plan will contrast with GOP proposals released last week. CQ Today et al.