Latest California Healthline Stories
Lawmakers Revisit Plan To Create Single-Payer Health Care in California
SB 810 by Sen. Mark Leno is moving forward again this year as the third incarnation of a proposal to create a single-payer health care system in California. Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed the two previous versions of the legislation. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
State Report Aims To Size Up Cost Efficacy of In-Home Care
The Legislative Analyst’s office released a report yesterday indicating that the In-Home Supportive Services program saves more money than the state and counties spend on it if at least 58% of program participants would require nursing home care if they lost their IHSS benefits. Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed eliminating the program if the federal government doesn’t provide more money to California. KQED’s “Capital Notes.”
California Supreme Court Kills Limits on Medical Marijuana
A unanimous decision from the California Supreme Court invalidated a state law that limited the amount of marijuana state residents could possess under an initiative voters approved in 1996. However, the ruling preserved a section of the law that applied to an identification card program for medical marijuana users. Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee.
Crackdown Finds Fraud Cases in Sacramento County IHSS
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced that the first four months of a special task force’s investigation has found 19 cases of fraud in the county’s In-Home Supportive Services program. The task force is continuing investigations into 145 other IHSS participants. Sacramento Bee.
Kaiser Permanente Asks FDA To Revise Drug Safety System
Kaiser Permanente has filed a citizen petition asking FDA to rework the “standards, procedures and guidelines” it is using for the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies system. Kaiser maintains that FDA’s current approach to implementing the risk-safety system does not incorporate input from health care providers. HealthLeaders Media.
Controversial Incentive Payments Approved for UC Hospital Executives
Unions are criticizing the UC regents for approving executive incentive payments while the UC system has imposed pay cuts and tuition increases. The regents said the payments come from medical center revenue and reward positive performance. San Francisco Business Times et al.
Pelosi Says House Likely Won’t Pass Senate’s Health Care Bill
Yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there appears to be insufficient support among House Democrats to pass the Senate’s health care reform bill without making any changes. Pelosi will continue meeting with Democratic representatives to decide on next steps for health care. Washington Post et al.
New Initiative Aims To Assist Discharged Homeless Patients
The Hospital Association of Southern California has teamed up with the Illumination Foundation to establish the Orange County Recuperative Care Program. The program provides shelter and medical assistance for homeless patients discharged from local hospitals. Payers & Providers.
President, Democratic Leaders Pledge To Keep Working on Health Care
President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress said they remain committed to health care reform but opened the door to a less far-reaching bill. Democratic members of Congress are weighing their options in light of the Massachusetts special election results. Washington Times et al.
California Counties Blast State for Roll Out of New IHSS Program Changes
Many county officials and lawmakers say California’s Department of Social Services waited too long to disseminate information about recent changes to the In-Home Supportive Services program. They also criticized DSS for its slow distribution of county IHSS funds. Capitol Weekly.