Latest California Healthline Stories
Children’s Hospital Oakland Gets $9.8M Gift for Research
Dolores Jordan has donated $9.8 million — on behalf of her late husband and brother-in-law — to Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Center to help fund the creation of an endowed chair for a stem cell researcher and to establish the Jordan Family Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapies Research. San Francisco Business Journal.
First 5 San Diego Faces Heat for Funding Groups With Advisory Panel Ties
Recent reports suggest that San Diego’s First 5 early childhood program has allocated 44% of its funds since 2006 to groups with ties to its advisory panel, including children’s hospitals and health programs. Officials are reviewing the allegations. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Calif. Budget Committee Votes To Drop Health Agency, Seven Others
A joint legislative budget committee unanimously approved a proposal to eliminate the Health and Human Services Agency and seven other government bodies headed by gubernatorial appointees as part of the panel’s budget plan. The plan would cut about $25 million in general fund spending. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
President Signals Openness to Mandatory Health Care Coverage
In a letter to key Democratic Senate leaders, President Obama said he would be open to proposals requiring Americans to maintain health insurance coverage and calling on large businesses to share the cost of employees’ health insurance benefits. The president also called for more cost savings in Medicare and Medicaid to help cover the cost of health care reform. Los Angeles Times et al.
Recession Makes Rx Drugs Too Costly for Many Americans
Because of the economic recession, many U.S. residents find themselves unable to pay for necessary prescription medications despite the growing availability of lower-cost generic drugs, discount programs at large pharmacy chains and the Medicare drug benefit. New York Times.
Program Stores Homeless Teens’ Health Records Online
A Sacramento program stores homeless teenagers’ medical records on a Web site, called Health Shack. The program is funded by a $125,000 Sierra Health Foundation grant. Since its launch last month, more than 70 people have enrolled in the no-cost program. Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
Costa Mesa City Council Reverses Paramedic Fee Vote
On Tuesday, the Costa Mesa City Council voted unanimously to reverse a decision last month that would have charged residents up to $460 in additional paramedic fees. The measure, designed to address the city’s $19 million budget deficit, received criticism from residents. Orange County Register.
Monterey County Takes Steps To Launch Medical Reserve Corps Program
Health officials in Monterey County are planning to launch a Medical Reserve Corps that would allow physicians and nurses to volunteer during emergencies, pandemics and natural disasters. Forty other California counties have such a program, an official said. Salinas Californian.
New Research Finds Medical Bills at Play in Majority of Bankruptcies
Research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation indicates that medical bills were a factor in more than 60% of bankruptcies in 2007, a significant jump from 2001. Almost 80% of people who filed for bankruptcy in 2007 had health insurance coverage. Reuters/Boston Globe et al.
Report Shows Dentist Shortage in San Joaquin County
A report from UCLA finds that certain areas in San Joaquin County have a shortage of dental health professionals. The study identified southeast Stockton and downtown Stockton as two of the state’s 233 dental health professional shortage areas, meaning the areas have a dentist-to-population ratio of 1-to-5,000 or less, or have a population with unusually high needs or insufficient capacity for care among the existing dentists. Stockton Record.