Latest California Healthline Stories
Report: Many U.S. Residents Lack Usual Source of Care
About one in five U.S. residents has no usual source of health care, according to a recent report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The report found that people with low incomes and those without health insurance were the most likely to report having no usual source of care. FierceHealthcare.
Hill Physicians’ Department To Support Public Programs
Hill Physicians Medical Group — a Northern California-based independent practice association — is creating a new department focusing on enrollment growth in public programs including Healthy Families, Medicare and Medi-Cal. Hill Physicians has about 300,000 members and represents about 3,000 physicians. San Francisco Business Times.
Hospitals Back Extension of Fee Aimed at Bringing in More Medi-Cal Funds
California hospitals are backing legislation that would extend a fee imposed on hospitals to generate additional federal funds for Medi-Cal. Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg has introduced legislation to extend the fee for six months. Sacramento Business Journal.
CalPERS Looks at Causes of Increasing Health Care Costs
New data released by a CalPERS committee in December 2010 show that 73.6% of members insured by Kaiser Permanente are overweight or obese and that 38% of Kaiser members had borderline or high cholesterol in early 2010. CalPERS is seeking to identify potential health risks and establish programs to prevent chronic conditions. Sacramento Business Journal.
HHS: Up To 129M U.S. Residents Under 65 Have Pre-Existing Conditions
An HHS report finds that as many as 129 million U.S. residents younger than age 65 have a pre-existing medical condition that could hurt their ability to obtain coverage. The report arrives as the House prepares to debate a bill to repeal the health reform law. Washington Post.
Calif. Aims To Take Lead in Enacting Reform, but Obstacles Lie Ahead
Although California is working to lead the way in implementing the federal health reform law, officials expect the state to face significant challenges in expanding Medi-Cal, establishing a unified enrollment system and rolling out reforms amid a major budget deficit. Politico.
MedPAC Calls for Increase in Medicare Reimbursements
Last week, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommended that Congress increase Medicare payments to physicians and hospitals by 1% in fiscal year 2012. MedPAC also proposed that Congress establish the first-ever copayment for Medicare home health care services at $150 for each 60-day home care period. Low-income seniors also eligible for Medicaid would be exempt from the copayment. Modern Healthcare, AP/Washington Post.
Calif. Hospitals Linked Up to Emergency Alert Network
Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health, recently announced that all of California’s 435 general acute care hospitals are enrolled in the California Health Alert Network. The network is a Web-based information and communication system designed to help coordinate statewide emergency response efforts. Central Valley Business Times.
Former Senate Leaders, Governor Start Reform Initiative at State Level
Former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle and Bill Frist, along with former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, have announced a new effort to help implement provisions of the health reform law at the state level through the Bipartisan Policy Center. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch,” Politico.
New Law Bans Insurers From Using Gender To Set Rates
A new state law that took effect Jan. 1 prohibits health insurers from setting rates for individual policies based on gender. Beth McGovern, legislative director for the California Commission on the Status of Women, said the law could affect up to one million women in the state. Monterey County Herald.