Latest California Healthline Stories
Riverside County Gets $875K for Healthy Homes Program
The Riverside County Department of Public Health’s healthy homes program has received an $875,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to remove health hazards from about 100 homes. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Schwarzenegger Discusses Workers’ Comp Reform
In his weekly radio address on Saturday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger discussed the five-year anniversary of the passage of workers’ compensation reform in California. He said, “Now, five years later, I am proud to report that our reforms have saved employers $50 billion.” Office of the Governor release.
Campaigns on Health Care-Related Measures Yield Tensions
Measures on the May 19 special election ballot would give the state help balancing the budget by shfiting money from special accounts for mental health services and early childhood health care and education programs. Looking at California’s budget predicament, advocates who backed the special programs have reached different conclusions on the special election measures. Los Angeles Times et al.
NIH Releases New Guidelines for U.S. Stem Cell Research Funding
The guidelines permit federal funds to be used for research on additional human embryonic stem cell lines but preserve some restrictions on government funding of the research. California’s stem cell research institute and private foundations still have fewer restrictions. AP/Philadelphia Inquirer et al.
Appeals Court OKs Lawsuit Over Denial of Treatment
A California appeals court ruled that the widow of a judge who died of lung cancer can sue Blue Cross for refusing to tell him that he had the right to seek independent review of the denial of an experimental treatment that doctors say could have saved his life. San Francisco Chronicle.
Congress Heads Back From Recess; Action on Health Care Expected
When Congress reconvenes this week, lawmakers are expected to kick off more intense action on health care reform. Senate committee leaders have scheduled roundtable discussions, and House Republicans are working on a health care platform they plan to unveil in the coming weeks. Wall Street Journal et al.
Ezekiel Emanuel on Obama’s Health Care Reform Team
Ezekiel Emanuel — a special adviser to Budget Director Peter Orszag and older brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel — is working on the White House’s health care reform efforts. Emanuel has stressed the need to cut copayments for preventive care and allow patients to keep their physicians when they change health insurers. New York Times.
Higher Insurance Rates for Women Draw Scrutiny in California
Health plans say that insurance premiums for women are often higher because women tend to get more preventive care than men, resulting in higher overall costs. Legislators in California are considering legislation that would prohibit so-called gender rating. San Jose Mercury News.
Health Care Reform News Around the Nation for the Week of April 20
The Colorado House drops a bill that aimed to create a single-payer health care system in the state, and Rhode Island’s governor signed legislation that will let laid-off workers at small businesses in the state get federal subsidies for COBRA coverage. California lawmakers are considering similar efforts.
State Mulls Developmental Disability Service Cuts
Advocates for the developmentally disabled are working with state officials to identify $100 million in budget cuts. The proposals include not paying clients’ day and work programs for four extra days on average, which would save $22 million, and excluding thousands of children ages two and older from an early intervention program for developmental issues, which would save $15 million. Ventura County Star.