Latest California Healthline Stories
Calif. Health Insurance Exchange Drawing More Interest in U.S. Debate
California’s PacAdvantage health insurance exchange was intended to help small businesses and individuals buy health insurance coverage at more competitive rates. The exchange ended in 2006 because insurers had dropped out of the exchange. Wall Street Journal.
Schwarzenegger Sends Letter to Congress on Health Care Reform
On Friday, Gov. Schwarzenegger urged congressional leaders to reduce states’ burdens in financing Medicaid. He also expressed support for health care reform proposals that boost preventive care and expand health insurance coverage. Office of the Governor release.
Final House Panel OKs Health Care Reform Plan With Some Amendments
After debating the bill for two weeks, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to approve a proposal to overhaul the U.S. health care system. All Republicans on the panel and five Democrats voted against the measure. New York Times et al.
Stimulus Funds Will Bankroll Studies on Treatment Efficacy
In a report to Congress last week, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and NIH indicated that they would use money from the federal economic stimulus package for research that will consider how well medical treatments work as part of an effort to control rising health care costs. Wall Street Journal.
Med School Needed at UC-Merced, Advocates Say
On Thursday, members of the Valley Coalition for a Medical School at a “community listening tour” said they hoped that UC-Merced could implement a medical school by 2015, five years ahead of the campus’ scheduled implementation. Attendees said that a medical school is needed in San Joaquin Valley because the valley has 31% fewer primary care physicians and 51% fewer specialists than the rest of the state. Merced Sun-Star.
Calif. Health Care Personnel News Update for July 2009
David Riley is shifting from interim director to director of Orange County’s Health Care Agency. Meanwhile, the American Lung Association’s California branch has named Jane Warner president and CEO.
Calif. Health Cuts Could Signify Challenges of National Reform
California’s inability to maintain previous funding levels for Healthy Families and Medi-Cal suggests that federal lawmakers could encounter difficulty in achieving sustainable national health care reform. Advocates say California’s health care cuts could bring the state’s population of uninsured children to two million, up from 1.1 million in 2007. Wall Street Journal et al.
Editorial: ‘Pressure’ on Insured Is Reason for Health Reform
The “financial pressure” on people with insurance likely will “ratchet up” until “we finally find a way to join the rest of the advanced industrialized world and provide universal coverage,” argues an editorial. Sacramento Bee.
Legal Opinion: Schwarzenegger’s Vetoes of Health Funds Are Illegal
Assembly member John Pérez has obtained a legal opinion suggesting that Gov. Schwarzenegger exceeded his authority by using line-item vetoes to cut funding from Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and In-Home Supportive Services. The governor imposed the additional cuts when he signed a budget revision package Tuesday. Capitol Weekly.
Report: Most California Hospitals Will Not Meet State Seismic Deadlines
Yesterday, the California Hospital Association released a report finding that most hospitals in the state won’t meet deadlines for seismic retrofitting. Hospital executives say the recession is hindering their compliance with the state mandate. San Francisco Chronicle.