Latest California Healthline Stories
President, Some House Members Signal Support of Senate Reform Deal
A Senate agreement aimed at resolving debate over the creation of a government-run health plan as part of health care reform legislation won support yesterday from President Obama and members of the House who supported efforts to create a public option in the House reform bill. CongressDaily et al.
Poizner Says Workers’ Comp Rates Will Rise by About 4%
On Wednesday, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said he expects workers’ compensation insurance rates to increase by about 4% on average. Fifty-nine insurers have filed new rates for 2010 with Poizner’s office. Sacramento Business Journal.
Other Industrialized Nations Beat U.S. on Life Expectancy
The U.S. ranks 27th in life expectancy among 30 industrialized nations that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, despite spending more than twice what other countries spend on health care, according to a survey of trends by OECD. In 2007, life expectancy at birth for U.S. residents was 78.1 years, and per capita health care spending totaled $7,290. AP/Boston Globe.
OSPHD: California Sees Dramatic Spike in MRSA Cases Found in Hospitals
A new report finds that the number of California hospital patients with antibiotic-resistant staph infections nearly quadrupled between 1999 and 2007. Improved reporting of minor cases could partially account for the increase. Sacramento Business Journal, Torrance Daily Breeze.
Boxer on the Frontlines in Fight Against Abortion Provision in Reform Bill
Yesterday, Sen. Barbara Boxer took center stage in an effort to prevent the Senate health reform bill from adding an amendment to restrict abortion coverage. Abortion rights could shape up to be a key issue during Boxer’s bid for re-election next year. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Home Health Advocates Worry About Medicare Cuts
Provisions of health care reform legislation under consideration in Congress would reduce future Medicare spending on home health care, raising concern among home health advocates about what the changes could mean for Medicare beneficiaries. Advocates who support the proposal say that changes to the payment system would help accommodate the cuts without compromising beneficiaries’ services. WAMU’s “The Diane Rehm Show.”
Report Finds Quality of MA Plans Varies by State
On Monday, the Kaiser Family Foundation released a report that found significant differences in the quality of Medicare Advantage plans based on where beneficiaries live. According to the report, fewer than 2% of beneficiaries in 25 states are in highly rated plans, while more than 50% of beneficiaries in Hawaii, Massachusetts and Oregon are in high-quality plans. The report found that the quality ratings are closely associated with plan type, how long the plan has existed and whether it is not-for-profit. The ratings came from CMS’ Medicare Compare Web site and the CMS Plan Directory. HealthLeaders Media.
Survey Credits Stimulus With Preserving Kids’ Coverage
Many states have used money from the federal economic stimulus package to preserve and in some cases expand children’s health insurance coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, according to an annual survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. The survey warns that the expiration of stimulus funds in 2010 could prompt some states to tighten eligibility for kids’ health insurance programs. HealthLeaders Media.
Data Show Decline in New Cancer Diagnoses, Deaths
On Monday, a coalition of cancer organizations including the National Cancer Institute released a report that found new diagnoses of all types of cancer declined by almost 1% annually from 1999 to 2006, and cancer deaths dropped by 1.6% annually from 2001 to 2006. The declines were driven by a decline in diagnoses of the three most common cancers in men — colorectal, lung and prostate — and two of the top three cancers in women — breast and colorectal. Wall Street Journal.
President Announces Funds for Community Health Center Projects
Nearly $600 million in economic stimulus funds will be channeled to construction and electronic health record-implementation projects at more than 80 community health centers nationwide. The White House said the projects will help fuel job growth. AP/Miami Herald, Reuters.