Latest California Healthline Stories
Senators Introduce Bills To Repeal 1099 Tax Provision
On Tuesday, Sens. Mike Johanns and Joe Manchin introduced a bill — co-sponsored by 52 other lawmakers — that would repeal the 1099 tax-reporting provision in the federal health reform law and make up for the lost revenue by using unobligated federal funds. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus on Tuesday also released legislation that would repeal the provision. Reid said he would use an alternative cost offset to recoup lost revenue, but he did not identify the offset. Modern Healthcare, The Hill‘s “On the Money.”
CBO Says Federal Health Care Spending Will More Than Double in Decade
New Congressional Budget Office estimates project that federal spending on government health care programs will hit $1.8 trillion in 2021, up from $810 billion in 2010. The report says Medicare spending could increase by $250 billion in the next decade. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Twenty-Three Calif. Hospitals Ranked Best in Country
Twenty-three California hospitals are included on a 2011 list of top-performing hospitals in the nation by HealthGrades, an independent health care ratings group. To determine the top-performing hospitals, the organization looked at 40 million Medicare patient discharge records for 26 different procedures and diagnoses from 2007 to 2009 at roughly 5,000 hospitals. San Jose Mercury News.
GOP Continues Efforts To Dismantle Health Law Through Hearings, Bills
On Wednesday, two Republican-led House committees are slated to convene a hearing to discuss specific provisions contained in the federal health reform law. Republicans also are planning to introduce legislation that would repeal some elements of the law. Politico et al.
Experts Raise Concern About Aging of Physician Population
Some experts are expressing concern that aging physicians who suffer from cognitive decline could put patient safety at risk. Currently, one-third of U.S. physicians are older than age 65, and that proportion is expected to increase over the coming years. Physicians with age-related cognitive impairment might face difficulty in applying the latest diagnosis recommendations, learning new technology and functioning in emergency departments or other high-stress units. New York Times.
State Officials Plan To Review Aetna’s Plan To Separate Brokers’ Fees
Regulators at the Department of Insurance and the Department of Managed Health Care say they are waiting to review Aetna’s plan to list insurance brokers’ fees and premiums as separate charges when billing for large group health insurance policies. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Report: Heart Disease Care Costs Could Triple by 2030
The cost of treating heart disease is expected to triple by 2030 as the U.S. population ages, according to a report by the American Heart Association. The report predicts that the percentage of U.S. residents with some form of heart disease will rise from about 33% currently to about 40% by 2030. Over the same time period, the cost of treating heart disease is expected to increase from $273 billion to $818 billion. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
State Sen. Touts Legislation To Aid Healthy Kids Program
San Mateo’s Healthy Kids program “is in need of a booster shot,” which is why “I have introduced Senate Bill 36 to ensure that it stays healthy as the recession and California’s budget crisis leave more children without health insurance,” state Sen. Joe Simitian writes in a San Jose Mercury News opinion piece. Simitian writes that the legislation would adjust state law, which “does not allow counties to insure children in families whose income exceeds 300% of the federal poverty level, even if a county wants to use its own funds to so do.” San Jose Mercury News.
Jones Wins Approval To Enforce Federal Medical-Loss Ratio Rule
California’s Office of Administrative Law has approved Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones’ request for an emergency regulation authorizing him to enforce the medical-loss ratio requirements of the federal health reform law. Sacramento Bee et al.
Report: Spending Up on Prison Health Services, Construction Projects
A report from an Assembly panel finds that state spending on prison health care has increased by more than 65% since 2006. The report also finds that California disbursed funds to plan for the construction of prison medical facilities that never were built. San Francisco Chronicle.