Latest California Healthline Stories
Governor Appeals to California’s Supreme Court on Furlough Plan
Gov. Schwarzenegger has appealed to the state Supreme Court in an effort to reinstate furloughs for state workers. Meanwhile, California lawmakers still have yet to agree on budget cuts to health care and other programs. Sacramento Bee et al.
Health Net Offers Loans to Clinics in San Joaquin Valley
The insurer Health Net and its foundation recently announced plans to provide $7 million in interest-free loans to help medical clinics in the San Joaquin Valley area remain open during California’s budget stalemate. The clinics will be able to use the loans to help cover their costs if the state suspends payments for Medi-Cal. Payers & Providers.
Insurers at Odds With Lawmakers Over Rules on Medical-Loss Ratios
Health plan officials are pushing back against an effort by some members of Congress to adjust the health reform law’s medical-loss ratio provisions, which govern how much revenue insurers can spend on medical and administrative costs. CQ HealthBeat, Politico‘s “Pulse.”
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of August 13, 2010
California regulators are investigating UC-Davis Medical Center’s compliance with state staffing regulations. Earlier this week, Kaiser Permanente South Medical Center officially opened a $25 million, 8,600 square-foot expansion of its emergency department.
Appellate Court Stays Prior Rule, Suspends Governor’s Furloughs
An appellate court upheld a judge’s order blocking Gov. Schwarzenegger from carrying out his plan to impose furloughs on state workers beginning today. The governor vowed to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court. Sacramento Bee et al.
Progress Stalls on Bill Allowing Out-of-State Volunteers at Clinics
AB 2699 would have enabled out-of-state volunteers to work at no-cost health clinics in the state. The California Nurses Association opposed the bill because of concerns about health workers’ treating residents without being accountable to state authorities. California Watch Blog.
Chiang Calls for Senior Health Plan To Repay $339M to California
Senior Care Action Network owes California about $339 million to account for overpayments by the Department of Health Care Services, according to Controller John Chiang. SCAN called Chiang’s allegations “untrue and unwarranted.” Central Valley Business Times.
UC-Berkeley Adjusts Student Gene-Collecting Program
In the wake of a California Public Health Department ruling on the treatment of DNA samples, UC-Berkeley officials have modified plans to gather genetic information from freshman students. The university will report test results in the aggregate, rather than providing students with individual results. DPH ruled that university officials would be making a medical diagnosis of each student’s DNA test, which only licensed laboratories may do under state and federal law, while UC-Berkeley officials maintained the program was an educational exercise. Los Angeles Times et al.
Lawmakers Show Support for UC-Merced Medical School
At an annual hearing for lawmakers on Thursday, UC-Merced officials said there is a need for a new medical school to serve the San Joaquin Valley region, citing an expected statewide shortage of 17,000 physicians by 2015. Assembly members voiced support for plans to open a new school by 2015. Merced Sun-Star.
Legislation To Sustain Pay for Health Centers Defeated
On Thursday, lawmakers voted down an amendment to a bill that would have guaranteed payments to state-funded nursing homes, health care clinics and child care centers when a budget is not in place. Sen. Jeff Denham introduced the amendment, which was defeated by a vote of 19-13. Merced Sun-Star.