Latest California Healthline Stories
Care Providers Worry About Implications of New Cuts to Medi-Cal
Care providers and advocates say hospital emergency departments could see a jump in adult Medi-Cal beneficiaries seeking dental services and community clinics’ finances could be weakened further by a round of Medi-Cal cuts slated to take effect July 1. Riverside Press-Enterprise, Stockton Record.
Opinion: U.S., Canada, Britain All Face Health Care Problems
In an opinion piece, Ezra Klein, an associate editor at the American Prospect, argues that the U.S., Canada and Great Britain all face health care problems just in different areas. He concludes, “So Americans will continue to brag that no one waits, and Canadians and Britons will continue to brag that no one goes without. And somewhere, the French and the Germans and the Japanese and the Swiss and many others will wonder why we insist on choosing between such awful extremes.” Los Angeles Times.
CMS Announces Cuts to Medicare Advantage Payments for 2010
Some Medicare Advantage cuts are expected to be as high as 4.5%, lower than the Obama administration’s earlier estimate of a 5% cut. An insurance industry representative warned that the cuts could result in higher premiums or scaled-back benefits for Medicare beneficiaries. Wall Street Journal et al.
Planned Parenthood To Petition End of Sex Ed Grant
On Tuesday, Planned Parenthood supporters will submit petitions to the Orange County Supervisors urging them to reverse their decision to suspend a sexual education grant to the not-for-profit because Planned Parenthood performs abortions. Orange County Register‘s “Healthy Living.”
Study Says Public Plan Could Cut Uninsured, Hurt Health Insurers
New research from the Lewin Group found that a widely available public health insurance plan would reduce the number of uninsured Americans but could also deal a major blow to private health plans’ enrollment. Republicans in Congress have voiced opposition to a public plan. AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Employers Oppose Proposed Workers’ Comp Rate Increase
California employers oppose a proposed 24.4% workers’ compensation insurance rate increase, arguing that businesses already face increases in the state’s sales and income tax rates. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has publicly asked Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner to reject Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s proposed rate increase. Los Angeles Times.
Kaiser Tops State Health Plans in Satisfaction Survey
For the second year in a row, the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan ranked first among California health plans in J.D. Power & Associates’ annual enrollee satisfaction survey. Kaiser scored 769 points on a 1,000-point scale and was the only California health plan above the state’s average health plan satisfaction score of 716 points. San Francisco Business Times.
California Health Care Personnel News Update for March 2009
Gov. Schwarzenegger has named a number of new members to the state dental, medical and pharmacy boards, and the state Department of Managed Health Care has tapped a new general counsel. Meanwhile, Santa Clara Family Health Plan has named its new CEO.
Telemedicine Helps Rural Hospitals Do Sex-Abuse Exams
UC-Davis Children’s Hospital Child and Adolescent Resource Evaluation Center uses a telemedicine system to help health care providers at six hospitals in rural California counties examine children suspected of being victims of sexual abuse. The center is seeking funding to expand the program to four more facilities. Sacramento Bee.
Santa Clara County Jails To Stop Prescribing Two Rx Drugs
Santa Clara County is declining to prescribe two expensive psychotropic drugs — Seroquel and Wellburtrin — to jail inmates except in “special cases.” Officials say inmates were pretending to be schizophrenic or depressed to obtain the drugs, which cost the county $614,000 last year. Attorneys with The Public Interest Law Firm, a San Jose not-for-profit that often represents inmates, said the group does not object to Santa Clara County’s new policy as long as the decision to withhold prescription drugs is made on a case-by-case basis. San Jose Mercury News.