Latest California Healthline Stories
CMS Officials Expect Significant Increases in Premiums for MA Plans
Medicare Advantage premiums likely will increase by an average 25% next year partly because of reduced federal subsidies for the plans and many insurers’ decision to stop offering private fee-for-service MA plans, a CMS official said. Wall Street Journal.
Stakeholders Target Opposition, Keep Up Support for Reform
Health insurers, medical device markers, pharmaceutical firms and unions are narrowing in on specific provisions of health care reform proposals before Congress that they would like to see dropped from final legislation. The groups are maintaining broad support for reform. Washington Times et al.
Opinion: Reform a Must To Control Costs in California
Health reform legislation must be enacted to control rising health care costs “because Californians cannot afford to continue to pay the costs of our current health care system,” argue Rep. Doris Matsui and Rob Feckner, president of the CalPERS Board of Administration. They continue that America’s Affordable Health Choices Act would mean “lower costs, higher quality and better outcomes” for U.S. and California residents. Sacramento Bee.
Health Reform Proposals Aim To Boost Coverage for Kids’ Dental Care
All of the current health care reform proposals require a government-sponsored insurance exchange to guarantee access to pediatric dental coverage. Some experts have expressed concern that such provisions could spur insurers to drop adult dental benefits. Kaiser Health News, San Francisco Chronicle.
Editorial: Senate Finance Bill Contains Undeniable Flaws
Although the health insurance industry’s recent report that the Senate Finance Committee’s health reform bill would raise premiums more than if reform were not enacted is “transparently contrived,” the legislation does have “flaws” that “lawmakers cannot ignore,” the editorial states. According to the editorial, the bill would leave 25 million people uninsured in 2019 because it does not “address the affordability problem and the incentive to forgo coverage, both of which interfere with the bill’s efforts to control costs.” Los Angeles Times.
CT Scan Problems at Cedars-Sinai Spark Safety Concerns
FDA and the California Department of Public Health are conducting investigations after Cedars-Sinai Medical Center disclosed that 206 stroke patients received a dose of radiation eight times the programmed amount because of an equipment problem. The situation is raising concerns about health care workers’ reliance on medical equipment and the adequacy of safety checks. Los Angeles Times.
Investigation: Disabled Workers Face Difficulty Fighting Claims Denials
A recent investigation found that disability insurance companies often deny or terminate benefits even after federal officials classify an individual as disabled. People seeking to fight claims denials must bring their case before a federal court. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
State RN Board Alters Policy on School Seizure Treatment
A policy change issued in September by the California Board of Registered Nursing stating that only registered nurses can administer the seizure treatment diazepam to school students has drawn criticism from medical experts who say the policy could be harmful. School staff previously were permitted to administer the treatment, but the nursing board ruled that state law prohibits that practice and staff members were open to liability if something were to go wrong. Orange County Register.
Report Says California Not Realizing Savings From Some Furloughs
Staffing shortages in the prison health care system and other state institutions are preventing the agencies from fully implementing Gov. Schwarzenegger’s furlough order for state workers. The prison health care system has turned to overtime and contract staff to cover shifts. Los Angeles Times.
Finance Panel OKs Reform Bill; Leaders Meet To Merge Proposals
The Senate Finance Committee’s approval of the bill clears the way for Senate leaders to begin merging the bill with the proposal approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier in the year. There are a number of differences in the two bills, but a Democratic aide predicted that the merged bill would go before the Senate the week of Oct. 26. The Hill et al.