Latest California Healthline Stories
State Targets Peddlers of Fraudulent Medicare Plans
State health officials have moved to bar vendors from selling illegal Medicare plans to elderly beneficiaries, as part of federal efforts to crack down on fraudulent activity in the health insurance market in the wake of the health reform law. About 24 state insurance agents are under investigation for deceptive marketing tactics. Sacramento Bee.
State’s Budget Stalemate Might Cut Off Funds for Health Clinics
Health clinics serving low-income residents might stop receiving payment if the state’s budget stalemate continues through the summer. Some health providers can draw on an emergency treasury, but the funds are not expected to last past August. Los Angeles Times.
Whitman Continues To Seek Nurses’ Support in GOP Bid
GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has sent more than 100,000 nurses a letter describing her support for staffing ratios and inviting them to join a campaign advisory board, while criticizing the California Nurses Association. However, union members said that Whitman is seeking to divide rank-and-file members from union leadership, and have dispatched protesters to her campaign events. Meanwhile, a CNA member has demanded that eBay — where Whitman previously served as CEO — release information on an alleged altercation with an eBay employee. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert” et al.
Thousands of Patients Still Affected by Health Care-Related Infections
About 30,000 patients die annually from catheter-related bloodstream infections, despite efforts to prevent them. While many facilities have infection-control policies, a survey indicates that more could be done to educate staff. Washington Post, Wall Street Journal‘s “Health Blog.”
NYT Analysis Raises Concerns About Diabetes Drug Avandia
An analysis of documents obtained by the New York Times found that drugmaker SmithKline Beecham — which later merged with Glaxo — covered up results from a 1999 study that revealed heart risks with its diabetes drug Avandia. The drugmaker undertook the study to determine whether Avandia was safer than Actos, a rival treatment, yet found that Avandia had greater heart risks than Actos. Avandia’s heart risks became public through a separate, independent study in March 2007, and GSK officials then acknowledged that they had known about the risks since 2005. According to the documents obtained by the Times, the drugmaker potentially knew about the risks since 1999, when the drug entered the market. New York Times.
Prospects Uncertain for Bill To Bolster Mammogram Program
California’s ongoing budget crisis is raising doubts about the viability of a bill designed to shore up the state’s Every Woman Counts breast cancer screening program for low-income women. The legislation aims to increase oversight of the program and lower the minimum age for participants from 50 to 40. In addition, the bill would require the Department of Public Health to provide 90 days of advance notice about any changes to the program. Although the Senate Health Committee unanimously approved the measure last month, lawmakers might opt to shelve it to keep state spending down. San Jose Mercury News.
First 5 San Bernardino Gives $26M for Children’s Programs
First 5 San Bernardino’s Children and Family Commission has allocated $26 million in three-year grants to 29 programs focused on providing health care and other services for young children and their families. The funding will cover behavioral and developmental screenings, early care services and family resource centers. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
States Preparing To Cut Back Medicaid Programs as Federal Funds Dry Up
As Congress remains mired in debate over extensions to state Medicaid funding, many states are ready to drop Medicaid beneficiaries and cut services. Some states already accounted for additional aid in their new fiscal year budgets. Wall Street Journal, CQ HealthBeat.
Berwick Officially Sworn In as CMS Leader Amid Reform Rollout
Donald Berwick was sworn in on Monday as administrator of CMS, becoming the agency’s first permanent leader since 2006. Berwick will take on many of the health overhaul’s major changes, including expanding Medicare and Medicaid. CQ HealthBeat et al.
Increase of Hospital Mergers Raises Patient Care Concerns
Many not-for-profit hospitals are seeking to align with for-profit hospital chains in an effort to stay afloat and make facility improvements, but the growth of mergers has stirred a debate over whether health care providers are more concerned with profits or patients. Officials say the uptick in mergers and acquisitions is likely to continue because of provisions in the health reform law intended to extend health coverage to millions of uninsured individuals, which would reduce financial burdens associated with uncompensated and charity care. Kaiser Health News/USA Today.