Latest California Healthline Stories
UC-Davis Institute Receives $12M Federal Stimulus Grant
On Monday, the UC-Davis MIND Institute announced it will receive $12 million in federal stimulus funds to study autism and other disorders. The funds will be used over two years to study childhood risks of autism related to genetics and the environment and several other studies. Sacramento Business Journal.
Additions to House Reform Plan Spark Debate Over Higher Costs
Modifications to the House’s health care reform legislation could result in the gross cost of the overhaul hitting $1.2 trillion over 10 years, sources told the Associated Press. Democratic leaders in the House argue that provisions of the bill that would generate new revenue would bring the cost of reform to $894 billion over 10 years. AP/San Diego Union-Tribune et al.
California Nurses Union Reaches Tentative Deal on Wages, H1N1 Flu
A tentative contract between the California Nurses Association labor union and Catholic Healthcare West would boost nurses’ wages by 20% over four years. The hospital group also agreed to increase its efforts to curb H1N1 influenza. Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Business Journal.
Report Finds Increase in Medicaid Buy-In Program
Research from Mathematica indicates that enrollment in and expenditures for the Medicaid Buy-In program more than doubled from 2002 to 2005. States have the option of opening up their Medicaid programs to people with disabilities who would not meet income eligibility requirements, provided that they make copayments or pay premiums. HealthLeaders Media.
Urban, Rural Hospitals Divided Over Efforts To Control Health Spending
Hospitals in Los Angeles, New York and other urban areas could take a hit if health care reform legislation includes provisions that are more beneficial to rural hospitals where health care spending rates generally are lower. One proposal aims to even out regional differences in spending. New York Times.
L.A. County Seeks To Quicken MLK-Harbor Hospital Project
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal to quicken design and construction work to reopen Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital that would cost an additional $1.3 million. The changes could reduce construction time by about one month and increase the chances the county will meet a deadline to qualify for federal stimulus money, which could result in the county getting a better interest rate on its loans. Torrance Daily Breeze.
Opinion: Don’t Rush Decisions on Medi-Cal Managed Care
With a “historic opportunity to create the best local system for our community” after federal legislation allowed 13 California counties to decide how to use Medi-Cal funding, Ventura County “must take the time to properly evaluate all of the possible Medi-Cal models of service,” argues Henry Lacayo, state president and CEO of the Congress of California Seniors and commissioner and chair of the Policy/Advocacy Committee for the California Commission on Aging. Lacayo continues, “Something this crucial, this transformational, cannot be decided in haste or without significant input from the public, or without thorough evaluation of the multiple models allowed by law.” Ventura County Star.
Consumer Advocate Urges Caution on Medical Tourism
With current reform proposals failing to address rising health care costs, U.S. insurers and employers might turn to medical tourism with “‘incentives’ for overseas surgery that border on coercion,” argues Judy Dugan, research director and health policy advocate for Consumer Watchdog. However, Dugan notes that there is “[n]o public data on quality” for medical tourism and “little recourse for injured patients.” She concludes, “That’s why medical tourism should be under a microscope now, before employers and insurance companies decide it’s part of their own cost — and profit — solution.” Los Angeles Times.
Study: Half of U.S. Kids Will Be on Food Stamps at Some Point in Life
A new study finds that about 49% all U.S. children and 90% of black children will receive food stamps at some point during their childhood. The researchers caution that children on food stamps could experience malnutrition or other health problems. AP/San Jose Mercury News.
Budget Picture Looks Grim in California as Revenue Misses Mark
California’s budget deficit likely will swell to $7 billion this year as state tax revenue is coming in below estimates used in the July budget package. Recent court rulings blocking state funding cuts to social services and health care programs also are coming into play. New York Times.