Latest California Healthline Stories
Viewpoints: The Drug Industry Really Doesn’t Want You To Know It’s Ripping You Off
A selection of opinions on health care developments from around the state.
CHIP Funding Morass: How Did Something Everyone Seems To Agree On Get To This Point?
The CHIP program has always enjoyed widespread bipartisan support, but Congress has dawdled over renewing its funding for the past three months as states slowly run out of money.
Experts Starting To Question If Struggling Bipartisan Health Bill Would Even Be Good For Consumers
Because of a weird quirk, the effects of the Trump administration stopping subsidies to insurers have been tempered enough that if the bipartisan bill passed it actually might do more harm than good for consumers. Some still say, though, that there are benefits to passing the legislation, which is losing support on Capitol Hill anyway.
Study May Upend Standard Way Of Handling Umbilical Cord For Premature Babies
The researchers looked at the difference between delayed cord cutting and cord “milking” and found that babies who had been treated with the latter had higher scores on tests of cognition and language years later.
Medical Expense Deduction Expected To Make It Into Final GOP Tax Package
The deduction provides moderate relief for California families who are burdened with medical costs.
Theranos Settles With Arizona Attorney General For $4.6M
The California-based blood testing startup has been embroiled in controversy since its technology was found to be defective.
California Lawmaker Proposes Medicaid Cover Undocumented Immigrants
The state has already eliminated legal residency requirements for Medicaid coverage for people under 19. But Assemblyman Phil Ting, who heads the Assembly’s budget committee, wants to extend that to all ages.
Due To Strong Demand, Covered California Extends Deadlines For Plans Starting Jan. 1
In most states, to get January coverage, people need to sign up by today, but California is giving customers an extra week to enroll. Also, today’s federal deadline for getting coverage for 2018 under the Affordable Care Act doesn’t apply to Californians. But those signing up into January won’t have their coverage start start until Feb. 1 at the earliest.
House, Senate’s Negotiated Tax Package Includes Repeal Of Individual Mandate
The agreement will also allow taxpayers to continue to deduct high out-of-pocket medical expenses. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) tells reporters that he was confident the final bill would be approved next week.
With Rise Of Uber, Ambulance Usage Is Dropping
Dr. Leon Moskatel, an internist at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, was one of the co-authors of the study that shows a correlation between the accessibility of Uber in a city and a decline in ambulance use.