Latest California Healthline Stories
Jones Wins Democratic Nod for Insurance Post; GOP Race Still in Flux
Yesterday, Assembly member Dave Jones defeated Assembly member Hector De La Torre for the Democratic nomination for insurance commissioner. As of Wednesday morning, the winner of the Republican race remained unclear. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal” et al.
Surgery Centers Lax on Infection Control, Study Says
Ambulatory surgery centers, where procedures such as plastic surgery and colonoscopies are performed, have deficiencies in controlling infections, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study of 68 centers found that 67% had at least one lapse in infection control and 57% had been cited for deficiencies. HHS will include ambulatory surgery and dialysis centers in its hospital infection control action plan, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. AP/Ventura County Star.
Judge Blocks One-Day Nurses’ Strike at UC Medical Centers
Yesterday, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Peter Busch sided with the University of California in a dispute over whether nearly 11,000 nurses have the right to strike. The UC medical center nurses, who belong to the California Nurses Association, had planned to participate in a one-day, multihospital strike scheduled for tomorrow. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Experts Urge Congress To Strengthen FDA’s Enforcement Authority
A new report from the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine calls for Congress to increase FDA’s authority to issue mandatory food recalls and respond to questionable food safety systems. McClatchy/Philadelphia Inquirer et al.
HHS Announces $51M in Grants To Boost State Oversight of Insurers
The grant program will make $51 million available this year to help states strengthen their oversight of health insurance rate hikes. States can use the funds to implement new information technology systems to monitor and review the rate increases. Bloomberg/BusinessWeek et al.
State, Surgery Centers at Odds Over Proposed Fee Schedule Changes
California’s Division of Workers Compensation has proposed changing the workers’ compensation fee schedule for nonhospital outpatient surgery centers to align more closely with Medicare rates. Outpatient center owners oppose the change. Sacramento Business Journal.
Reid Seeks To Restore Medicaid Assistance to ‘Extenders’ Bill
Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he aims to restore $24 billion in Medicaid assistance to states that House leaders stripped from the so-called “extenders” bill last week. In California, Gov. Schwarzenegger has joined other state leaders in urging federal lawmakers to restore the Medicaid funds, which he called “critical to California.” CQ Today et al.
More Doctors Charging Administrative Fees To Reduce Cost Burdens
Many physicians are starting to charge patients fees for failing to appear at appointments or for filling out work-related medical forms. The new administrative charges are part of health care providers’ efforts to offset the rising costs of practicing medicine. USA Today.
UC-Davis Telemedicine Pilot Teaches Diabetes Care
As part of a pilot project, specialists at UC-Davis will use videoconferencing technology to instruct diabetes patients at the Sierra Family Medical Clinic about proper care. UC-Davis hopes to expand the program to 18 other rural clinics. Grass Valley Union.
Many Medical Tests Are Not Necessary, Analysis Finds
Between one-fifth and one-third of medical tests and treatments in the U.S. are unnecessary, according to an Associated Press analysis of several studies and interviews with medical specialists. The analysis indicated that the fee-for-service physician payment model, regional cost and quality variation, and physicians’ fear of malpractice lawsuits are among the main causes of unnecessary tests. AP/Chicago Tribune.