Latest California Healthline Stories
Sacramento-Based HMO Drops Out of Medi-Cal Over Low Payment Rates
Western Health Advantage has notified the state that it will withdraw from its contract to administer Medi-Cal benefits in Sacramento County at the end of the year. The insurer currently enrolls 16,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Sacramento Business Journal.
Room for Improvement in Pay-for-Performance Effort
The Integrated Healthcare Association’s California Pay for Performance program has had some success, including in the area of health information technology adoption, but has “fallen short of expectations” overall, according to an IHA report on the program’s performance since 2006. The program is the largest pay-for-performance effort in the country. Modern Healthcare.
New CBO Projections Fuel Resistance to House Health Care Reform Plan
A report by the Congressional Budget Office projects that House Democrats’ health care reform plan would increase the budget deficit by $239 billion over 10 years. Democratic leaders disputed the assessment, but Republicans and some Democrats voiced concerns about the plan. CQ Today et al.
Governors Express Concerns About Cost of Medicaid Expansion
The National Governors Association held its summer meeting in Biloxi, Miss., this weekend where the states’ role in health care reform was a central point of discussion. Gov. Schwarzenegger and a number of other governors did not attend the meeting. New York Times et al.
Local HIV/AIDS Spending Up for Discussion at Meeting
On Monday, the Inland Empire HIV Planning Council will begin a three-day meeting to establish spending priorities for its budget for HIV/AIDS care and treatment in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The state budget will weigh heavily on the group’s deliberations. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Obama To Spend More Time on Health Care Reform in Coming Weeks
President Obama is convening a roundtable meeting on health care today in Washington, D.C., and he will hold a prime-time press conference on the issue Wednesday. A new poll indicates that public support for Obama’s domestic agenda has dropped since April. Washington Post et al.
Calif. Officials Propose Changes to Boards That Oversee Health Workers
On the heels of the shake-up at the California Board of Registered Nursing, state officials say they plan to consider overhauling all boards that handle misconduct complaints against health care workers. Observers have offered numerous suggestions. Ventura County Star, KQED’s “Forum.”
Report: Paperwork Costs Add $9 Billion to Calif. Health Tab
The California Public Interest Research Group estimated that $9 billion annually is spent by insurers and medical practices in California to complete and process paperwork. CalPIRG released the report Thursday. Sacramento Bee.
DOJ Doesn’t Weigh In on Challenge to Healthy S.F.
The Obama administration did not submit any arguments prior to the July 10 deadline for briefs supporting or opposing a request for the U.S. Supreme Court to review a provision of the Healthy San Francisco program. The Golden Gate Restaurant Association maintains that a provision of the program violates federal law. San Francisco Chronicle.
Advocates: Budget Cuts Could Lead to Higher Costs for State
Advocates say plans to cut state spending on adult home health care and other services will lead to higher costs for California as beneficiaries of programs are pushed into more expensive services, including nursing homes. Los Angeles Times.