Latest California Healthline Stories
Assembly OKs Bill for Workers at Small Firms To Get COBRA Subsidy
Gov. Schwarzenegger said he will sign a bill that will let laid-off workers from small firms qualify for federal subsidies for health care coverage through COBRA. The federal economic stimulus package already subsidizes coverage for workers from larger firms. Sacramento Bee, AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
Assembly OKs Bill To Prohibit Health Plan Gender Rating
On Friday, the California Assembly voted 51-29 along party lines to approve a bill (AB 119) that would prohibit health plans from using a person’s gender as the basis for charging different premiums for similar policies. The Senate delayed a vote on its version of the bill but is expected to take up the measure this week. Sacramento Bee.
California Medical Board Approves Signage Mandate
On Friday, the Medical Board of California unanimously approved a measure to require doctors in the state to post a sign or tell patients about the agency they should complain to if they are unsatisfied with the care they receive. If unchanged after a series of regulatory hearings scheduled for this summer, the mandate could take effect as early as this fall, according to board spokesperson Candis Cohen. HealthLeaders Media.
Advocates Worry About Budget Cuts if California Ballot Measures Fail
Advocacy groups are raising concerns about cuts to Medi-Cal and other programs that California lawmakers might consider if voters reject budget-related measures in next week’s special election. California’s budget deficit will rise to almost $16 billion if the initiatives fail. Sacramento Bee et al.
Ventura County To Examine Mental Health Care Policy
The Ventura County Mental Health Board is studying in depth the Ventura County Medical Center’s policy on releasing mental health patients. Critics of the medical center argue that patients need to stay longer to avoid rehospitalization. Ventura County Star.
Health Care Industry Groups Ready To Commit To Cut Costs
President Obama will meet today with a group of leaders from major health care industry groups to discuss efforts to control costs as part of a broader effort to overhaul the U.S. health care system. The groups are expected to sign on to an effort to cut $2 trillion from projected increases in health care spending over the next 10 years. Wall Street Journal et al.
Student Health Center Data Breached, UC-Berkeley Says
On Friday, UC-Berkeley announced that hackers — possibly from Asia — stole personal information on current and former students. The breach involved records dating back to 1999 at UC-Berkeley’s health center that included Social Security numbers, health insurance information, immunization history and the names of treating physicians. Contra Costa Times.
Obstacles To Winning Coverage for Autism Treatments Linger
A shift in the way the Department of Managed Health Care is interpreting state law has prompted regulators to deny appeals of insurers’ decisions not to cover some autism services. One legal watcher said DMHC has not gone through the proper channels on the rulings. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Health Care Reform Around the Nation for May 11
Lawmakers in Delaware put forward a plan to expand children’s health insurance coverage, and Texas officials are expecting major increases in Medicaid costs. Meanwhile, Louisiana adopted emergency cuts to Medicaid reimbursements.
Kaiser Reports Increase in Income, Revenue for Q1
On Friday, Kaiser Permanente announced that its not-for-profit hospital and health plan operations reported a Q1 2009 net income of $430 million, up 72% from $250 million in Q1 2008. Meanwhile, Kaiser’s not-for-profit operations reported $10.6 billion in operating revenue in Q1 2009, up 5% from $10.1 billion in the same period last year. San Francisco Business Times.