Latest California Healthline Stories
Kaiser Announces $1 Million in Community Benefit Grants
On Tuesday, Kaiser Permanente announced $1 million in grants to agencies that provide medical care, food, housing, crisis counseling and other services. The grants will go to not-for-profit agencies primarily in the Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco Business Times.
Hospitals Experiment With Efforts To Avoid Patient Falls
New Medicare policies that deny reimbursements for some patient falls and state laws that require hospitals to report fall rates are encouraging hospital leaders to take more aggressive steps to avoid patient falls. Strategies include identifying patients at high risk of falls, using lower beds and avoiding some medications. NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
San Joaquin County Set To Cut Health Care Work Force
On Tuesday, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted to eliminate 14 positions in the county Public Health Services department. The agency could face more cuts as it becomes clear what effect the state budget will have on county finances. Stockton Record.
House Leaders at Odds Over Necessity of Public Option in a Reform Bill
Yesterday, House leaders appeared to come to different conclusions about whether there was sufficient support in the House for a health care reform bill that does not include a government-run health plan. A proposal to use a “trigger” for a public option is under discussion. Washington Times et al.
California Grants $2.7M To Train Family Practice Staff
Last week, California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development said it has granted $2.7 million to help 27 residency programs train family practice health workers. The office said many of the trainees practice in underserved communities. San Francisco Business Times.
12 California Hospitals Receive Fines for Major Patient Safety Lapses
Last week, the California Department of Public Health issued its latest round of $25,000 fines against 12 California hospitals for patient safety violations that occurred in 2007 and 2008. Fines will be doubled to $50,000 for incidents that occur this year. Torrance Daily Breeze et al.
Study: Most Californians With Medical Debt Have Health Insurance Plans
A new study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research suggests that about two-thirds of Californians with medical debt had health insurance in 2007. The study also found that people with medical debt were about twice as likely to delay or forgo care. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
California Legislature Faces Debate on Hospital Hiring Bill
A bill (SB 726) before the California Legislature would alter current state law to permit California hospitals in some cases to directly hire physicians. Supporters of the bill say it would help hospitals that have problems recruiting doctors, but the California Medical Association says it could impose on physicians’ treatment options. HealthLeaders Media.
Massachusetts Cuts Benefits for Documented Immigrants
On Aug. 31, Gov. Deval Patrick announced that Massachusetts’ state-subsidized health plan would no longer cover dental, hospice or skilled-nursing facility services for documented immigrants who have had green cards for less than five years. The change comes as the state works to address the costs of its 2004 health insurance law. New York Times.
Hospitals Push for Changes to State Seismic Safety Rules
The California Hospital Association is lobbying lawmakers to eliminate a 2013 requirement for hospitals to retrofit or rebuild facilities to comply with state seismic safety requirements. CHA also wants to do away with a 2030 deadline for some hospitals and require all facilities to meet the requirements by 2020. The changes likely will be added to SB 289. Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News.