Latest California Healthline Stories
Officials: Japan Radiation Does Not Pose Health Risk
On Thursday, public health officials said radiation from Japan’s crippled nuclear power plants does not pose a health risk to the state. Howard Backer, interim director of the California Department of Public Health, said that no increased levels of radiation have been detected and that he questioned some predictions — based on weather patterns — that radiation could reach the U.S. by Friday. Mike Dayton, action secretary for the California Emergency Management Agency, said, “There is no threat to public health.” San Diego Union-Tribune et al.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of March 18, 2011
Sierra Kings District Hospital’s board of directors has submitted a ballot item for a possible June special election that would let the board lease or sell the facility to Adventist Health. Sutter Health is planning an $8 million expansion of its Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.
Up to Half of Insurance Claims Appeals Are Successful, GAO Finds
A new Government Accountability Office report finds that appeals to health insurance claim rejections often are successful. However, a GAO official notes that only a small percentage of claim denials are challenged. The report on insurer rejection rates was requested by Congress. AP/Washington Post.
CalPERS To Drop Medco Following Bribery Scandal
On Wednesday, CalPERS announced that it will not renew a drug-benefits contract with Medco Health Solutions, following recent reports about payments Medco made to former CalPERS board member Alfred Villalobos. Under the existing contract, which expires Dec. 31, Medco receives $8 million annually to deliver mail-order drugs to members of CalPERS’ PPO plan. Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Business Journal.
Report: Individual Coverage Often Challenging To Obtain
Nearly three-quarters of the estimated 26 million U.S. residents who sought medical insurance in the individual market during the last three years had difficulty purchasing it, and about 35% said they were turned down or charged a higher rate because of pre-existing conditions, according to a new report by the Commonwealth Fund. The report found that about 52 million U.S. residents lacked health insurance for a portion of 2010, compared with 38 million people in 2001. Reuters, Modern Healthcare.
Report Assesses Federal, State Spending on Medicaid, CHIP
About 68 million U.S. residents were Medicaid beneficiaries in 2010, pushing federal and state expenditures for the program to more than $400 billion dollars, according to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission’s first annual report. The report found that federal and state spending on the Children’s Health Insurance Program totaled about $11 billion in 2010. Modern Healthcare, The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Report: Elderly Residents Not Getting Necessary Preventive Services
According to a CDC report, many elderly U.S. residents are not receiving preventive health care services. Meanwhile, about 152,000 Medicare beneficiaries over the past two months have participated in annual wellness visits provided under the health reform law. HealthLeaders Media et al.
Blue Shield Calls Off Plan To Impose Premium Rate Increase in May
Blue Shield of California has said it would cancel plans to raise premiums by as much as 18% on May 1. The insurer said it made the decision out of concern for policyholders. The company also is paying out less for claims than anticipated. San Francisco Business Times et al.
Few California Residents Enrolling in High-Risk Health Insurance Pool
Roughly 1,600 individuals have enrolled in California’s high-risk health insurance pool, even though 250,000 state residents qualify for coverage through the pool. In 2014, insurers will be banned from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Report Looks at Medical Mistakes, Hospital Infections
In its March edition of “Health Dialogues,” KQED’s “The California Report” looks at the prevalence of medical mistakes and patient infections at hospitals. According to state officials, thousands of California residents die annually from medical mistakes and infections that largely are preventable. KQED’s “The California Report.”