Latest California Healthline Stories
Skilled Healthcare To Pay $50M Settlement in Nursing Home Lawsuit
The nursing home chain has agreed to a $50 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit alleging that it fell short in maintaining proper staffing levels. The settlement is significantly less than the initial jury verdict of $677 million. Los Angeles Times, Eureka Times-Standard.
California Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Furloughs, Vetoes
Yesterday, state Supreme Court justices heard arguments in cases regarding the governor’s authority to impose furloughs and use line-item vetoes to cut health programs. Decisions on the cases are expected within 90 days. Los Angeles Times et al.
Editorial Urges California To Strengthen its Medical Board
“Physicians take a solemn oath to first do no harm,” but problems with the Medical Board of California’s enforcement procedures “threaten to undermine that promise,” a Sacramento Bee editorial states. The editorial recommends that California policymakers take steps to improve the board’s oversight by increasing its membership, accelerating investigations and adding more information to the board’s public database. Sacramento Bee.
Poll: Americans Unsure on When Major Details of Overhaul Take Effect
A new poll finds that many Americans do not know when provisions of the health reform law take effect, such as rules that allow children to remain on their parents’ health plans until age 26 and that bar insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Reuters.
Riverside County Scales Back Medical Spending for Jails
Riverside County recently reduced its budget for detention health services by scaling back medical service hours and eliminating 33 full-time positions for nurses, clerks and other health workers at county jails. Officials said some of the health workers who lost their jobs have accepted other positions or taken an early retirement. The changes are expected to reduce county spending by nearly $3.4 million. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Sacramento County Budget Restores Some Medical Funds
On Wednesday, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved an adjusted budget for fiscal year 2010-2011 that partly reinstates funding for indigent and mental health care programs. The budget also calls for closing some medical clinics and cutting employment at mental health care facilities. Sacramento Bee.
Opposing Viewpoints Discuss Health Insurance Exchange
Gov. Schwarzenegger should sign legislation “sooner rather than later” to create California’s health insurance exchange, a Sacramento Bee editorial states, adding that the bills “clearly mark the most important state legislation since the federal health care reform law passed.” However, John Graham — director of health care studies at the Pacific Research Institute — writes in a San Francisco Examiner opinion piece that the exchange’s “supporting bureaucracy” led by “a board of five political appointees” would “limit people’s choice of coverage” and ultimately “harm Californians’ access to health insurance” and lead to “higher costs.” Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Examiner.
Brown’s Gubernatorial Bid Raking in More From Health Industry Groups
Financial data submitted to the California Secretary of State’s office show that health care industry groups have contributed more to Jerry Brown’s gubernatorial campaign than to Meg Whitman’s, although some groups have donated to both camps. Payers & Providers.
Proposal Would Hike Nurses’ Contributions to Pensions
Ventura County nurses are voting on a final management proposal that would have nurses contribute 4.5% of their salaries into their pension accounts, up from 1.5%. Since fall 2009, county negotiators have been unable to reach an agreement with 524 nurses on the proposal. The voting deadline is Sept. 17. Ventura County Star.
Report: Health Spending To Increase Moderately Under Reform Law
Health care spending will grow by 6.3% annually as key provisions of the federal health reform law take effect, according to a new CMS report. Efforts to expand health insurance coverage to uninsured U.S. residents will be a core factor in the increase, the report notes. New York Times et al.