Latest California Healthline Stories
Californians Wary of Effect of Planned Cuts to Medicare
California Medicare beneficiaries are anxious over the $475 billion in planned cuts to Medicare, including a $136 billion reduction for Medicare Advantage, which covers 1.5 million Californians. It is not yet clear what the impact of the cuts will be, though beneficiaries are anticipating that MA plans will increase premiums, reduce non-required benefits or end their participation in the program altogether. San Francisco Chronicle.
Investigation Finds Gap Between Hospital Expenditures, Billing
A new Sacramento Bee investigation finds that many California hospitals are charging insurers significantly more than the amount they report spending on medical care. Next month, the Assembly Health Committee is scheduled to consider a bill that aims to boost consumer access to medical pricing information. Sacramento Bee.
Unions Criticize Bill That Aims To Boost Discipline for Calif. Health Workers
A Senate panel is consider a bill that would standardize the disciplinary process for health workers accused of misconduct. Some unions oppose a provision that would require employers to report workers who are fired or suspended for wrongdoing. Los Angeles Times.
Lawmaker Shelves Bill That Aimed To Restrict Sale of Rx Information
Assembly member Bill Monning said he pulled AB 2112 after determining the measure did not have enough support to pass. The bill would have limited the availability of information that drugmakers often use to market their products to physicians. Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Hospital System To Lose Medicare Funding Over Patient Safety Concerns
Yesterday, federal regulators said they would cut off Medicare funding for Southwest Healthcare System on June 1 because of patient safety issues. Earlier this week, state officials fined Southwest for lapses in medical care. Los Angeles Times, Riverside Press-Enterprise.
IRS Can Reduce Tax Refund for Lack of Health Insurance
The new health reform law does not allow IRS to impose liens or levies to collect penalties from individuals who do not have health insurance, nor does it allow the agency to audit individuals to ensure they have coverage, IRS Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement Steven Miller told the Senate Finance Committee yesterday. However, IRS is not prevented from reducing a tax refund to collect the penalty, Miller said. Committee members Chuck Grassley and Pat Roberts had questioned whether IRS would be able to enforce the insurance mandate. Wall Street Journal.
CVS Aims To Double its In-Store Retail Medical Clinics
CVS Caremark plans to double the number of its in-store medical clinics within five years, according to CVS CFO Dave Denton. Denton said the move is in response to the aging population and an expected increase in insured residents under the new health reform law. In March, Walgreen announced that it also will increase its number of in-store clinics. Bloomberg/Boston Globe.
Report: Some Insurers Might Be Misconstruing Amount Spent on Care
A new report from a Senate panel suggests that some health insurers have modified their accounting practices in an effort to comply with a provision in the new health reform law that stipulates how much they must spend on medical care. Reuters, Wall Street Journal‘s “Health Blog.”
HHS Developing Action Plan To Address Health Disparities
This week, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the federal government for the first time is developing a national action plan to address racial health disparities in the U.S. As part of the plan, Sebelius said HHS aims to address childhood obesity and distribute health information through social networking Web sites. AP/USA Today.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of April 16, 2010
San Joaquin General Hospital is preparing to reduce operating hours at its cancer clinic and lower the income threshold for those who qualify for no-cost medical care. Meanwhile, Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas recently launched a $200 million expansion project.