Latest California Healthline Stories
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of October 22, 2010
Watsonville Community Hospital has started preparing for a nurses’ strike that is expected to take place next Tuesday. Meanwhile, Mills-Peninsula Health Services is seeking proposals from entities interested in purchasing its skilled-nursing and dialysis facilities.
Report: Enrollment in Healthy San Francisco Up 24% Since Last Year
About 53,400 city residents currently are enrolled in Healthy San Francisco, according to a new report. The report finds that the number of primary care providers participating in the program has increased by 19% since 2008. San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner.
Reports Look at Health Care Issues for Native Americans
In its October edition of “Health Dialogues,” KQED’s “The California Report” examines issues related to Native American health. The edition includes segments on how casino revenues affect the United Indian Health Service, links between ceremonial and recreational tobacco use, rates of prenatal care and funding for Native American health care. KQED’s “The California Report.”
Merced County Adjusting to Health-Related Budget Cuts
Merced County is preparing to adjust to recent funding cuts included in the state’s new budget package. The county’s Department of Public Health will face a $200,000 spending reduction, which is expected to affect a program that works with off-site clinics on immunizations. Officials still are awaiting information on whether state budget cuts will affect vaccine distribution. Merced Sun-Star.
Hospital System To Resolve Charges Over Hiring Practices
Catholic Healthcare West will pay $275,000 to the federal government to settle Department of Justice allegations that the hospital system required non-U.S. citizens and naturalized U.S. citizens to submit more work authorization papers than required by law. CHW said it is fully cooperating with the settlement agreement and has set up systemwide training focusing on DOJ’s concerns. HealthLeaders Media.
Judge: California Needs Federal OK for Cuts to Medi-Cal Benefits
A federal judge ruled that last year’s cuts to specialized Medi-Cal benefits did not violate federal law. However, he ordered the state to resume Medi-Cal coverage for the services until federal officials approve the program changes. Sacramento Bee.
Fiorina Calls for Repeal of Reform Law, More Industry Competition
Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina said that if elected, she would work to repeal the federal health reform law. She also expressed support for a health care model that would spur competition among insurers and drug companies. AP/San Diego Union-Tribune.
Insurance Commissioner Group Approves Rules on Health Care Expenditures
Yesterday, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners finalized recommendations on the activities that insurers can count toward medical services and quality improvement under the medical-loss ratio provision of the federal health reform law. CQ Today et al.
Jim Lott Says Yearly Budget Shortfalls Likely To Continue
California’s recently passed budget was “100 days past its mandated deadline,” and if “delays had not occurred, the likelihood the governor snips $1 billion from health care programs at the last minute is greatly diminished,” Jim Lott — executive vice president of the Hospital Association of Southern California — writes in a Payers & Providers opinion piece. Although health care providers “in California have become inured to making due with less, … the galling insouciance that accompanies this year’s budget is nothing short of breathtaking,” Lott writes. He concludes, “Given that there is no economic brightening in sight, I suspect the ugly scenarios of budget shortfalls will continue for much of the coming decade. The state’s health care sector better become used to both anticipated and last-minute budget cuts.” Payers & Providers.
Report Assesses California’s Mental Health Performance
About 1.2 million California residents and about 25% of the state’s prison inmates have mental health issues, according to a new survey from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The report gave California a “C” grade on addressing mental health problems, compared with the national average grade of “D.” No state earned an “A” grade and seven states earned a “B” grade. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”