Latest California Healthline Stories
LAO: Perata’s Cigarette Tax Measure Could Drain $45M From First 5 Funds
A new Legislative Analyst’s Office report suggests that California’s First 5 early childhood health and education program could lose $45 million annually under former Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata’s proposed ballot initiative to raise cigarette taxes. Oakland Tribune.
Obama Gives Senate Dems Pep Talk on Health Care Reform
On Sunday, President Obama met with Senate Democrats to encourage quick passage of the chamber’s health care reform bill. Republicans said the fact that GOP members were not invited to the meeting showcases partisan undertones in the reform debate. The Hill, Washington Times.
Kaiser Permanente To Pay $3.75M To Settle Claims Over False Bills
Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $3.75 million to resolve allegations that it improperly billed Medicare and Medi-Cal for care provided by medical residents. Kaiser reported the problem to government investigators in 2005 after an internal audit. Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle.
BCBS Study Sees Premium Hike Under Senate Reform Bill
The BlueCross BlueShield Association released a report yesterday projecting that premiums for individuals and families would increase by 54% after five years under the Senate health care reform bill, while businesses’ premiums would rise by 20%. The White House said the study did not consider the Senate bill’s cost-containment provisions. The Hill‘s “Blog Briefing Room.”
Mandate Deals With End-of-Life Care at Catholic Hospitals
A new mandate from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urges Catholic hospitals to provide food and water to all patients in persistent vegetative states, including those who are not Catholic and do not want to be kept alive on life support. The statement affects more than 500 Catholic hospitals nationwide. WAMU.
Health Care Continues To Be Strong Point for Employment
New statistics show that the health care sector added 21,000 new jobs in November, with hospitals and home health care entities each adding 7,000 positions last month. Unemployment data released this morning show that unemployment dropped slightly to 10% nationwide in November. HealthLeaders Media.
UC-Irvine Healthcare Ends Contract With Blue Shield
UC-Irvine Healthcare is informing patients of UCI Medical Center and the University Physicians and Surgeons practice that it is terminating its contract with Blue Shield of California. The insurer and the health care system could not reach an agreement on reimbursement rates. Orange County Register‘s “Healthy Living.”
California, U.S. Scaling Back on STI Screening, Prevention Programs
Recent state budget cuts have led California’s Department of Public Health to cut back on intervention workers and other staff from its sexually transmitted infection division. Nationwide, about two-thirds of STI programs faced cuts between 2008 and 2009. Payers & Providers.
Proposed Excise Tax Could Prompt Changes to Benefits
A proposal in the Senate health care reform bill to impose an excise tax on high-cost health insurance plans would push two-thirds of employers to change their benefits packages to avoid the tax, according to a new survey from Mercer. A separate analysis from the consulting firm projects that 19% of benefits packages offered by employers in 2013 would be subject to the tax. Kaiser Health News.
Concerns About Reform Efforts Rising Up Among Democratic Governors
The incoming head of the Democratic Governors Association acknowledged his peers’ concerns about health care reform efforts under way in Congress. Republican governors generally have been more outspoken about their concerns. New York Times‘ “The Caucus,” CQ HealthBeat.