Latest California Healthline Stories
Uncertainty Surrounds Elements of California’s Health Benefit Exchange
Experts have offered varied estimates on the number of residents who will seek coverage through California’s health insurance exchange. In addition, the recent Republican takeover of the House raises questions about future federal support for the exchange. Capitol Weekly.
Supreme Court To Hear Case on Prison Health Care in California
Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court is slated to hear California’s challenge to a prior court ruling that ordered the state to reduce its inmate population by 40,000 to ease overcrowding and improve prison health care conditions. Los Angeles Times et al.
HHS Releases Final Rules on Medical-Loss Ratios Under Health Overhaul
Last week, HHS released final medical-loss ratio rules that closely follow recommendations issued last month by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Insurers that do not comply with the new rules must pay rebates to consumers starting in 2012. Politico et al.
California Lags Behind Nationwide Trends for Health Care Job Growth
California health care workers are facing an unusually tough job market, even as the health sector continues to add jobs nationwide. California’s high unemployment rate and recent budget cuts could be contributing to the state’s slow health care job growth. Los Angeles Times.
Nurses Union Gains Clout in California, Nationwide
The California Nurses Association’s power as a political force is evidenced by new revelations that it helped publicize how a maid was fired by 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. Meanwhile, CNA’s national organization, National Nurses United, helped to set up strikes or threats of walkouts in five states, including California, in an effort to secure policy changes at the hospital and national level. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Op-Ed Considers if States Should Eliminate Medicaid
Some states are considering ending participation in Medicaid as “lawmakers from both parties are staring into the abyss of massive state budget deficits,” including in California, Micah Weinberg, a senior research fellow at the New America Foundation’s Health Policy Program, writes in a Sacramento Bee opinion piece. Weinberg writes that “both states and federal government are going to have to get real about the fact that fulfilling our obligation to provide for those in need is going to require restoring revenues,” adding that “there is no better time for sane behavior.” Sacramento Bee.
Kamala Harris Wins Final Ballot Count in Race for State Attorney General
Republican Steve Cooley recently conceded the election for California’s next attorney general to Democrat Kamala Harris. Harris has said she would not support joining lawsuits that seek to block implementation of the federal health care reform law. Sacramento Bee et al.
Web Community for Safety-Net Providers Gains Ground
Community Clinic Voice started in 2001 as an online platform allowing California’s safety-net health care providers to collaborate and share ideas. The network now includes more than 2,000 participants and is expanding to include members from across the U.S. HealthyCal.
Editorial Calls for Further Thought on End-of-Life Care
U.S. residents “are notoriously reluctant to confront the realities of death itself,” a Los Angeles Times editorial states. The editorial cites a recent Dartmouth Atlas Project study to argue that “unless people strongly assert their preferences, their end-of-life care will largely be determined by the prevailing customs of their communities.” The Times writes that “rather than focusing on treatment preferences, advance directives should let people express what they’d like to achieve through treatment should they become terminally ill.” Los Angeles Times.
John Muir Physician Network Cuts Ties With Eye Doctors
Starting Jan. 1, 2011, hundreds of patients no longer will be able to see their eye doctors because of a contract dispute between the John Muir Physician Network and 35 ophthalmologists. The ophthalmologists said they were unwilling to accept a contract that would change the way they are reimbursed. Meanwhile, John Muir officials said they are making adjustments to deal with the federal health reform law and expect to have a new agreement with other ophthalmologists in place by Jan. 1. Contra Costa Times.