Latest California Healthline Stories
Sebelius Reminds States of Upcoming Deadline To Apply for Medicaid Funds
States have until Sept. 24 to apply for a share of the $16.1 billion in additional Medicaid funding included in a recently approved state aid package. Earlier this week, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent a letter reminding state governors of the deadline. CQ HealthBeat.
L.A. County Supervisors Call for More Vigorous Patient Safety Measures
Los Angeles County supervisors have requested that health care officials and the county CEO develop a plan to address patient safety standards, after a recent study concluded that costs for malpractice cases in the county have increased by 50%. Los Angeles Times.
California Builds Unprecedented Broadband Telehealth Network
California has launched a $30 million telehealth network to connect physicians and patients in what the governor called a “new era for health care.” Officials say that the project eventually could link nearly 900 health care facilities around the state. Sacramento Bee et al.
Study Finds Medicare Part D Less Costly Than Projected
The Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit has cost much less than anticipated when the program was enacted five years ago, according to a new Medicare trustees report. Medicare’s drug program originally was projected to cost $111.2 billion annually when implemented in 2006, but the report found that the benefit in 2009 cost the federal government $60.8 billion. Experts attribute the lower costs to a slowing demand for prescription drugs, greater use of generics and fewer people signing up for the benefit. Washington Times.
Republican Blakeslee Defeats Laird for State Senate Seat
Republican Assembly member Sam Blakeslee has defeated former Assembly member John Laird to win the 15th District seat in the California Senate. With 100% of precincts reporting, Blakeslee had 48.8% of the vote while Laird had 44.1%. If Laird had won the election, Democrats would have been within one vote of the two-thirds majority needed to pass a budget and tax increases. AP/Sacramento Bee, Santa Cruz Sentinel.
California Small Businesses Weigh Reform Law Changes
Small businesses in California are gearing up to adapt to changes under the new federal health reform law, which requires companies with more than 50 full-time employees to offer health coverage or pay a fine. Employees who work at least 30 hours per week are considered full time, according to the federal government. Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Editorial Blasts Sacramento County’s Mental Health Cuts
Sacramento County’s recent cuts to mental health services have pushed more people to seek care in local emergency departments, which “are not staffed or equipped to provide psychiatric care,” a Sacramento Bee editorial states. It continues that the “fallout” from these cuts “provides more proof that the county’s latest cost-cutting proposal — this time for outpatient mental health services — will almost certainly harm patients.” Sacramento Bee.
NAIC Approves Proposal Defining Spending Rules for Medical-Loss Ratios
Yesterday, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the so-called “blanks” proposal that defines the types of spending that health insurers can count toward medical care under new medical-loss ratio rules. Politico et al.
Expired COBRA Subsidy Led to Higher Premiums, Health Coverage Lapses
Many U.S. residents are weighing whether to obtain health insurance at a higher price or drop coverage altogether after Congress failed to extend the COBRA subsidy. Meanwhile, two senators have introduced a bill that would reinstate the subsidy. Kaiser Health News/USA Today.
Report: Cancer Top Cause of Death, Costs Worldwide
Cancer likely is the leading cause of death in the world and costs more in productivity and lost life than any other illness, according to an American Cancer Society report to be presented this week at the World Cancer Congress in China. The report found that cancer cost the world $895 billion in 2008, equivalent to about 1.5% of the world’s entire gross domestic product. A number of advocacy groups have been urging health officials to devote more funding to combat noninfectious causes of death, including cancer. AP/Chicago Tribune.