Latest California Healthline Stories
HHS Launches New Initiative Targeting Chronic Conditions
This week, HHS unveiled a new initiative aimed at encouraging greater collaboration between government agencies and the private sector to help address the growing challenge of caring for people with multiple chronic health conditions. The plan aims to provide informational resources and tools to facilitate research and help patients and health care providers better understand, coordinate and manage care. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch.”
Obama Signs Bill To Delay Medicare Physician Pay Cuts
On Wednesday, President Obama signed into law a bill that would delay for one year scheduled cuts to physicians’ Medicare payments, blocking a 25% payment cut that would have taken effect on Jan. 1, 2011. The bill — which is estimated to cost $14.9 billion over 10 years — would extend current Medicare reimbursement rates until 2012. AP/Boston Globe.
Malpractice Award Limit Seen as Issue for State Legislators
The California Association of Consumer Attorneys has reached out to newly elected members of the Legislature to educate them about the Medical Insurance Compensation Reform Act, which then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed in 1975. MICRA caps pain-and-suffering awards in malpractice cases at $250,000, which the group says prevents clients from hiring better attorneys and fails to correspond to a rise in preventable injuries. Capitol Weekly.
Editorial: Transparency in Health Contracts Necessary
A Monterey County Herald editorial argues that an exemption to the Public Records Act that keeps “every aspect of health care contracts confidential … should be crumpled up and tossed out.” The editorial discusses a contract between the California Prison Health Care Services and Health Net Federal Services, writing that the exemption policy “provides a level of confidentiality not available to private companies operating under competitive state contracts … and makes it impossible for anyone to monitor state spending on health care.” Monterey County Herald.
Controller: San Francisco Faces $4.36B Unfunded Liability for Health Care
A new report from the San Francisco controller’s office finds that the city’s unfunded liability for retiree health benefits is about $4.36 billion. The controller said the liability could grow to $9.7 billion by 2033 if no action is taken. New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle.
PacifiCare Places Dividend Pay on Hold During Inquiry
PacifiCare Life & Health Insurance has agreed to delay a $120 million dividend payment to its parent company UnitedHealth Group during an investigation by California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Earlier this week, Poizner issued an order blocking the payment because PacifiCare might need the money to pay penalties related to the mishandling of health insurance claims. Sacramento Business Journal.
HHS Meets With State Officials on Insurance Exchange Planning
On Thursday, HHS started a two-day meeting with state officials regarding the establishment of health insurance exchanges as required by the health reform law. An attendee said many states likely will not have plans in place until 2012. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch,” CQ HealthBeat.
Judge Weighs In During Arguments of Multistate Lawsuit Against Reform
During oral arguments on the multistate lawsuit challenging the health reform law, Judge Roger Vinson indicated support for the argument against the individual mandate but appeared reluctant to accept similar claims against the Medicaid expansion. Wall Street Journal et al.
6.8M California Residents Lack Health Coverage, Report Finds
A new report from the California HealthCare Foundation finds that more than 20% of Californians lack health insurance and that the number of middle-income residents without coverage has increased in recent years. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert” et al.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of December 17, 2010
Yesterday, union employees at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital held a candlelight vigil to protest the hospital’s proposed job cuts. Meanwhile, nurses at Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center threatened to strike if hospital officials fail to reach an agreement with their union.