Latest California Healthline Stories
Budget Cuts to Health Programs Hitting Hard in San Joaquin Valley
Counties in the San Joaquin Valley have cut staff in their health departments, reworked services and eliminated some programs altogether in the face of mounting budget deficits. Some local officials worry that more cuts could be needed. Fresno Bee.
Veterans Groups Fight Plan To Bill Insurers for Service Related Injuries
The proposal to bill private insurance companies for combat- and service-related medical care is included in President Obama’s budget plan for fiscal year 2010. The president did not address the proposal when he spoke at the Department of Veterans Affairs yesterday. McClatchy/Arizona Daily Star.
Reporter, Law Professor Discuss Health Care System
Karen Tumulty, national correspondent for Time magazine, and Russell Korobkin, professor of health care law at the UCLA School of Law, offer recommendations for navigating the health insurance system. KPCC’s “Patt Morrison.”
Kennedy Leading Effort To Pass Health Care Reform by August
Sen. Edward Kennedy is leading a group of five senators who have teamed up in hopes of passing health care reform legislation before Congress’ August recess. Kennedy’s staff has been meeting with stakeholder groups and aims to have legislation drafted by early summer. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart has been meeting with lawmakers to voice its positions on health care reform. CongressDaily, Politico.
Coalition Pushes for Universal Health Care System
The Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care is pushing the Obama administration to adopt a universal health care system similar to Medicare. The 20 million-member coalition includes the California Nurses Association and watchdog Public Citizen. Roll Call.
California Asks Judge To End Federal Prison Receivership
On Monday, Paul Mello, an attorney for the state, asked a federal judge to end a court-appointed receiver’s control of California’s prison health care system, arguing that “dramatic improvements” have been made in state prisons and that the receiver is no longer needed. The judge did not make an immediate decision regarding the request. Los Angeles Times et al.
11 State Schools To Receive $17.5M in Stem Cell Grants
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has approved $17.5 million in grants to 11 state universities to train scientists in embryonic stem cell technology. Meanwhile, CIRM President Alan Trounson discussed President Obama’s recent executive order on stem cell research during Gov. Schwarzenegger’s weekly radio address Saturday. San Francisco Chronicle, Office of the Governor release.
Interest Groups Start Taking Sides in Special Election in California
The California Nurses Association has announced its opposition to budget-related measures on the ballot, including propositions to shift funds from special accounts for mental health services and early childhood health and education. The Bay Area Council and Meg Whitman take another view. KQED’s “Capital Notes,” Sacramento Bee.
Advocates Take Worries About Cuts to Medi-Cal, Social Services to Capitol
A public meeting at the Capitol today is intended to help state officials determine whether California will get enough federal stimulus money to avoid steeper tax increases and deeper cuts to Medi-Cal and other programs. Social services advocates will rally outside. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Kaiser Permanente Inks Deal With IBM, Discloses Job Cuts in IT Division
Last week, Kaiser Permanente signed an agreement to outsource management of its data center operations to IBM. The move will eliminate about 700 jobs at Kaiser, 500 of them in California. Separately, the Oakland-based HMO announced 160 other IT job cuts. San Francisco Business Times et al.