Latest California Healthline Stories
Expected Growth of Medicaid Managed Care Brings Concern
About half of current Medicaid beneficiaries are enrolled in private managed care plans. In 2014, an estimated 16 million additional U.S. residents will be eligible for Medicaid under the health reform law. Patient advocates and some physicians say Medicaid managed care plans can limit choice and fail to curb costs. USA Today/Kaiser Health News.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of November 12, 2010
Shasta County voters have approved a measure designed to help Mayers Memorial Hospital District retrofit its facilities to comply with seismic safety standards. Meanwhile, Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center has opened a new Center for Women’s Health in Redlands.
Polls: Public Opinion Remains Mixed on Health Reform Law
U.S. residents continue to have mixed opinions on the federal health reform law, according to a pair of recent polls. A recent AP-GfK poll finds that 39% of U.S. residents support Republican efforts to repeal or scale back the federal health reform law. Meanwhile, the Kaiser Family Foundation’s most recent Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that 56% of respondents who voted in the midterm elections would like to see the overhaul repealed entirely or in part. AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, National Journal.
Dept. of Insurance Site Adds New Data on Coverage Rates
Since starting the service in June, the California Department of Insurance has posted online 30 health insurance rate applications for the individual market. The website lists the ways insurers calculate rate increases and allows users to submit comments to department staff. Los Angeles Times‘ “Money & Company.”
Blue Shield Touts Success of Claims Transparency Project
Blue Shield of California officials recently reported that the insurer’s claims transparency program has helped lead to fewer claims denials and a reduction in claims processing time. The program, called Partnership in Operational Excellence and Transparency, allows health care providers to view claims performance data through an online portal developed by MedeAnalytics. Healthcare IT News.
Schwarzenegger Calls for Special Session To Address Budget Gap
Gov. Schwarzenegger said he plans to convene a special legislative session on Dec. 6 to address the state’s current deficit. The Legislative Analyst’s Office has estimated that California faces a $6.1 billion shortfall for this fiscal year. Sacramento Bee et al.
Rep. Stark Cites Profits as Reason for Insurers To Lower Premium Rates
Yesterday, Rep. Pete Stark sent a letter to 10 for-profit health insurance companies asking them to lower premium rates for their members. The insurers reported a combined profit of $9.3 billion for the first three quarters of this year. CQ HealthBeat, National Journal Daily.
Legislative Analyst Pegs Budget Gap at $25.4B Over 18 Months
The Legislative Analyst’s Office projects that California will face a $25.4 billion budget deficit over the next 18 months. LAO said part of the gap stems from faulty assumptions about federal funds for Medi-Cal and other programs. Los Angeles Times et al.
GOP Takeover of House Could Threaten State’s Health Reform Efforts
Although the Republican-led House might be unable to fully repeal the federal health reform law, GOP lawmakers could attempt to block the allocation of certain funds that California is expecting to receive to implement key provisions of the overhaul. Sacramento Bee.
Survey Gauges Firms’ Plans To Drop Health Coverage
Six percent of U.S. employers with 500 or more employees and 20% of employers with between 10 and 499 workers likely will drop their health coverage when the federal health reform law is fully implemented in 2014, according to a survey of more than 2,800 employers conducted by Mercer. The findings suggest that the smaller the firm, the less likely it is to offer coverage come 2014. Kaiser Health News.