Latest California Healthline Stories
N.Y. Only State To Order Flu Vaccines for Health Workers
New York state is requiring all hospital and clinic workers to be vaccinated against seasonal flu and the H1N1 strain. A growing number of hospitals are adopting similar requirements as part of an effort to prevent personnel from spreading the flu to patients. NPR’s “Morning Edition.”
Census Bureau Data Indicate Number of Uninsured in Calif.
Recently released U.S. Census Bureau data found that San Francisco is seventh in the country in lowest percentage of uninsured residents, while San Jose is 12th and the Sacramento area is 19th. The data ranked the 70 cities in the U.S. with populations of at least 250,000 residents. Santa Ana finished 68th, with about 33% of its residents uninsured. Sacramento Business Journal.
Governor Reverses Veto Threat, Takes Action on Hundreds of Bills
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took action on hundreds of bills over the weekend, despite his earlier threat to veto all legislation if state lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on water issues. He approved bills that imposed hospital fees and banned gender rating but vetoed a measure that aimed to curb insurance policy rescissions. Sacramento Bee et al.
Obama Touts Backing for Health Reform From Schwarzenegger, Others
After Gov. Schwarzenegger and a number of other Republican leaders voiced support for health care reform efforts, President Obama used his weekly address to highlight the support and urge lawmakers from both parties to approve reform legislation. New York Times et al.
Vote on Health Care Overhaul Set for Today in Senate Finance Panel
Senate Democratic leaders are confident the committee will approve the proposal in today’s vote, and leaders already have scheduled a meeting for this afternoon to discuss merging the Finance Committee’s proposal with the HELP Committee’s legislation. Washington Post et al.
Stimulus Grants Will Provide $54M for Research at Kaiser
On Monday, Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente announced that it has won 22 grants worth more than $54 million for medical research through the federal economic stimulus package. The grants will fund research in Kaiser’s Northern California division and other units throughout the country. San Francisco Business Times.
California Nursing Board Stepping Up Investigations
After replacing the majority of the California Board of Registered Nursing, state officials now have begun altering practices to ensure that complaints against nurses are quickly addressed. The board has begun prioritizing complaints to first address those against nurses who might pose a risk to patients and permitting top state officials to subpoena documents regarding nurses accused of wrongdoing. Los Angeles Times.
California Could Incur High Costs From Plans To Expand Medicaid
Several current health care reform proposals aim to increase the ranks of insured U.S. residents by expanding Medicaid eligibility. California officials are concerned that such a plan could compel the state to shell out millions of dollars through Medi-Cal. San Jose Mercury News.
Software Helps Residents Apply for State Programs
A software program called One-e-App developed by the Center To Promote Health Care Access streamlines how state residents can apply for Medi-Cal and other state programs. The software, developed with startup funding from the California HealthCare Foundation and the California Endowment, automatically screens an applicant’s eligibility status for as many as 14 state programs, fills in the applications and electronically sends them to the appropriate state agencies. San Francisco Business Times.
‘This American Life’ Tackles Rising Health Care Costs
The first edition of a two-part special focuses on rising health care costs and explores how doctors, insurers and patients affect medical spending. The program includes a discussion of contract negotiations between Sutter Health and Blue Cross of California, now known as Anthem Blue Cross of California. Chicago Public Radio’s “This American Life.”