Latest California Healthline Stories
Sacramento Mental Health Cuts Lead to High Anxiety
Health care providers say that cuts to Sacramento County mental health services has led to high anxiety and, in some cases, even suicide attempts among patients who are concerned they will lose access to treatment. Sacramento Bee.
Editorial: Berwick ‘Just What the Doctor Ordered for CMS’
A Washington Post editorial argues that Donald Berwick — President Obama’s nominee for CMS administrator — is “just what the doctor ordered for CMS.” It adds, “Dr. Berwick is the perfect nominee to help reshape a health care system that is wasteful and bloated.” Washington Post.
CMS Proposes Additional 6.1% Physician Payment Cut Beginning in 2011
A rule proposed by CMS includes a provision that could impose an additional 6.1% reduction to Medicare’s physician payment rates beginning in 2011. The 6.1% reduction would come in addition to the 23.5% payment cut scheduled to take effect in December. HealthLeaders Media.
Obama Signs ‘Doc Fix’ Into Law; States Lobby for Medicaid Aid
President Obama signed into law a bill that delays cuts to physicians’ Medicare reimbursements until November. Governors and state officials plan to lobby lawmakers to reconsider a Medicaid state assistance package after the larger Senate “extenders” bill failed to advance. CQ HealthBeat et al.
California Senate Set To Tackle Bills Creating High-Risk Insurance Pool
Today, the California Senate is expected to take up two companion bills that would establish a high-risk insurance pool for residents with pre-existing conditions. Both bills cleared the state Assembly with bipartisan support, but some Republican senators oppose the legislation. San Jose Mercury News.
Nursing Board Targets Calif. Nurses Disciplined in Other States
Following an investigation last year, the California Board of Registered Nursing has found that about 3,500 of its nurses have been cited for misconduct in other states. Officials estimate that as many as 2,000 of those nurses now will face disciplinary action in California. Los Angeles Times.
Advocates Call for More HIV Outreach in Santa Clara
Advocates and Santa Clara County officials have said the county could be doing more to prevent new HIV infections and reach out to populations with a high risk of becoming infected. At least 12 people in the county died from AIDS-related causes in the last fiscal year. San Jose Mercury News.
Some States To Launch High-Risk Insurance Pools This Week
This week, several states’ new, temporary high-risk insurance pools will begin accepting applications from residents with pre-existing conditions. In California, enrollment is expected to begin in August, with the pool launching in September. New York Times, USA Today.
Vaccines for Whooping Cough Too Costly To Provide, Physicians Say
Some physicians say that even if insurers cover the whooping cough vaccine, the cost of storing and administering it is too high. State officials recently declared a whooping cough epidemic in California and urged residents to get vaccinated. AP/Ventura County Star, Sacramento Bee.
Lawmakers Set To Blow Past Wednesday Budget Deadline
State officials and lawmakers are set to miss Wednesday’s deadline to have a new budget in place, and some experts believe the budget battle will drag out for months. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed deep cuts to social services programs to address a $19.1 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, while Assembly and Senate Democrats each have different plans. Reuters et al.