Latest California Healthline Stories
Survey: Southern Calif. ED Wait Times Exceed Nationwide Averages
An unpublished survey from the Hospital Association of Southern California finds that Los Angeles County emergency departments have an average wait time of seven hours for non-emergency patients. The region has yet to require EDs to post wait times. Los Angeles Times.
Editorial: Health Reform Deals End Up Costing California
The “deals” that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made to get 60 votes on the Senate’s health reform bill mean “California will be subsidizing health care reform in other states,” an editorial argues. The editorial continues that some senators held out in supporting the legislation, and in return received “especially large subsidies” for a Medicaid expansion. The editorial concludes, “California’s congressional leaders must push for an end to the inequities in federal funding that contribute to California’s budget shortfalls.” San Francisco Chronicle.
Donation Aims To Help Restore Breast Cancer Services in Kern County
The Kern County not-for-profit Links for Life has announced plans to contribute $100,000 toward mammograms and other services for uninsured and underinsured residents. The donation aims to help offset cuts to the state’s “Every Woman Counts” program. Bakersfield Californian.
IHSS Providers Approve New Contract for Pay, Benefits
On Wednesday, employees for the In-Home Supportive Services program approved a new contract with Alameda County that guarantees wages and benefits until September 2013. The contract stipulates that IHSS employees will continue to receive $11.50 hourly and that their wage would not drop below $10.20 hourly even if the state cuts its contribution to the minimum wage. In addition, the contract states that workers will keep their health benefits for five months if state cuts place workers below the eligibility threshold for such benefits. Oakland Tribune.
Physician-Owned Hospitals Oppose Reform Provisions
Language in both the House and Senate health care reform proposals would tighten restrictions on physician-owned hospitals, making it more difficult for such facilities to expand. California, Louisiana and Texas are among the states with the largest numbers of physician-owned hospitals. HealthLeaders Media.
Sacramento County Seeking Funds for Abuse Screening
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and Child Protective Services are seeking funding for a program at the UC-Davis Medical Center that screens children who were taken from their homes because of concerns about their welfare for signs of abuse, neglect or medical problems. The program lost its funding because of budget cuts. The county DA and CPS sought money from First 5 Sacramento Commission, which funds children’s programs through a tobacco tax, but the group delayed its decision. Sacramento Bee.
CMS Delays Scrutiny of Plan To Fund Healthy Families With Tax
On Thursday, CMS informed state officials that the agency will wait until at least mid-2011 to issue a decision on whether California can raise money for Healthy Families by taxing insurers that administer benefits for Medi-Cal. Federal officials initially said the tax might not meet certain requirements. Los Angeles Times.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of December 18, 2009
A subcommittee at Kern Health System advised canceling more than $600,000 in incentive payments, and Mercy San Juan Medical Center is gearing up for the opening of a new six-story patient tower. Meanwhile, Scripps Memorial Hospital-Encinitas won a $10 million donation.
Donation Will Help Nursing Program Train More Nurses
A $500,000 donation from the Frank and Gertrude Doyle Foundation to the California State University-Sacramento for a new clinical simulation laboratory will help the school expand the number of nursing students it trains. The board of directors for the University Foundation at Sacramento State has pledged to match the donation. The new lab will be housed in the new Folsom Hall, which is scheduled to open in summer 2010. Sacramento Business Journal.
Sacramento’s Mexican Consulate Unveils Health Care Referral Program
The Mexican Consulate in Sacramento has opened a “Ventanilla de Salud,” or Health Window, to provide clinic referrals, health education and other services for documented and undocumented immigrants. Sacramento’s program will be the 39th Health Window nationwide. Sacramento Bee.