Latest California Healthline Stories
U.S. Senate Committee Leaders Roll Out Reform Plans, Kick Off Meetings
The chair and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee put forward a plan for bipartisan health care reform legislation that would specifically address changes to the Medicare payment system and efforts to boost health care quality. The committee is beginning work to draft legislation. Los Angeles Times et al.
Field Poll Finds Support Lagging for Budget-Related Propositions
At this point, only one of the six measures on the May 19 special election ballot appears poised to win voter approval, a new Field Poll suggests. Forty percent of respondents said they will vote in favor of measures that would shift funds from state accounts for mental health care and early childhood health care and education services. Sacramento Bee et al.
Restaurant Association Won’t Drop Suit Against Healthy S.F. Funding
A San Francisco official offered to freeze employer contribution rates for its Healthy San Francisco program if the Golden Gate Restaurant Association dropped its lawsuit challenging a city requirement that firms contribute toward workers’ health care costs. San Francisco Chronicle.
Health Care Plays Major Role in Obama’s First 100 Days
President Obama has taken significant action on health care during the early days of his presidency and laid the groundwork for a push to overhaul the nation’s health care system in the first year of his administration. Health care observers say such efforts face notable hurdles. NPR’s “Morning Edition.”
Specter Joins Democratic Party, Raises Prospects for President’s Agenda
Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter announced that he is leaving the Republican Party to become a Democrat, moving Democrats closer to a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Specter is a long-time supporter of increased funding for medical research and related causes. Roll Call et al.
Poizner Pushes for Lower Workers’ Comp Rate Increase
On Tuesday, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner urged the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau to lower its recommended 23.7% workers’ compensation rate increase. He also said he will ask insurers and medical service providers to explain why medical costs are rising at a June hearing. Sacramento Business Journal.
Assembly Health Panel Weighs Regulation of Rate Increases
Assembly member Dave Jones has introduced legislation that would give the Departments of Managed Health Care and Insurance authority over health insurers’ rate hikes. The Assembly approved a version of the bill in 2007, but it died in the Senate Health Committee. The California Association of Health Plans and the California Medical Association oppose the bill. San Francisco Chronicle.
Budget Negotiators in Congress Finalize Deal on Reconciliation
Members of the budget conference committee agreed to use the budget reconciliation process to pass health care reform legislation if Congress does not pass a bipartisan bill by October 15. The move has drawn heat from Republicans. CQ Today et al.
Sacramento County Mulls Cutting More Than 1,000 Jobs
Sacramento County is considering cutting more than 1,000 positions to close a projected $187 million general fund deficit. The proposed cuts would include eliminating 16.5 positions in juvenile medical services and 116 positions at the Department of Health and Human Services. Sacramento Bee.
Opinion: Health Reform Must Realign Payment, Incentives
In an opinion piece, Harold Luft — a professor of health policy and health economics at UC-San Francisco and director of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute — argues that President Obama’s health reform efforts are off to a “promising start, but the follow through will be critical.” He writes, “Fundamental health care reform must not only expand coverage to everyone but also put us on the path to greater efficiency and higher quality.” San Francisco Chronicle.