Latest California Healthline Stories
Study: Illinois Reaps Savings With Medical Home Program
An Illinois medical home initiative launched in 2006 to improve care coordination for Medicaid beneficiaries and lower health costs reduced state spending by $140 million in the fiscal year that ended in June 2009, according to a new study by the Robert Graham Center. The study also found that a chronic disease management program launched by the Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services reduced state spending by more than $300 million over three years. Chicago Tribune.
S.F. Mulls Banning Toys in Certain Restaurant Meals
Eric Mar, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors, is sponsoring legislation that would prohibit city fast-food chains and other restaurants from including toys in meals that contain excessive amounts of fat, sugar or salt. The proposal would limit toys to meals that meet certain nutrition guidelines, such as menu items that include fruit and vegetables. The California Restaurant Association opposes the legislation. San Francisco Chronicle.
Opinion: Safety-Net Clinics Key to Success of Reform
The federal health reform law “raises fundamental questions about the future of local safety nets in the United States,” Mitchell Katz, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, writes in a commentary piece published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Katz continues that safety-net clinics could face greater strain if their patient population becomes dominated by uninsured residents who do not qualify for coverage under the reform law. He concludes that “a robust safety-net system may offer the best chance of providing quality care to those excluded from health reform and those who newly acquire health insurance.”
Bill Aims To Cut Back on Transfer of Funds out of Health Care Districts
SB 1240 would prohibit private operators of district hospitals from transferring assets out of a health care district. The bill stemmed from concerns about Sutter Health’s management of hospitals in the Marin and Eden Township health care districts. Payers & Providers.
S.F. Bay Area Clinics Lose Planned Parenthood Name
The nationwide Planned Parenthood organization has announced that it will no longer include Planned Parenthood Golden Gate as one of its affiliated branches because of fiscal and administrative problems with the San Francisco Bay Area network. Therese Wilson, interim CEO of PPGG, said the network’s seven clinics will continue providing reproductive health services but will operate under a different name starting Sept. 3. San Francisco Chronicle.
FTC, States Coordinate Plan To Crack Down on Counterfeit Health Plans
The Federal Trade Commission and several state officials have started a campaign to identify fraudulent marketing of so-called medical discount plans. Such deceptive activity has risen since the enactment of the health reform law. Bloomberg/Minneapolis Star Tribune et al.
Democrats Seeking To Account for Fees, Taxes in Medical-Loss Ratios
Democratic leaders of six influential congressional committees recently sent a letter to HHS clarifying that only specific federal taxes and fees can count toward medical costs under the federal health reform law’s medical-loss ratio regulations. Politico‘s “Pulse.”
Health Department Concludes Nursing Home Violated Law
The nursing home run by the Motion Picture and Television Fund violated state and federal law by failing to provide residents with 30-day discharge notices before transferring them last year, according to a report from the state Department of Public Health. The report, conducted in June, also found that some residents were given drugs without proper justification. Los Angeles Times.
Bill To Define, Boost Aid for Grassroots Health Staff
A bill by Assembly member V. Manuel Perez would provide a formal definition and additional funding for “promotores” — community-level health care workers who assist low-income, rural and underserved populations. The proposal would allow the state Department of Public Health to assess existing promotores groups and to apply for federal grants to support their work. HealthyCal.
Legislative Analyst Questions Democrats’ Budget Proposition
An official from the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the Democrats’ proposed budget plan actually would raise taxes for middle-income earners. Democrats say the plan would generate revenue and help avert cuts to state programs. Sacramento Bee et al.