Latest California Healthline Stories
Stimulus Package Moves Forward in Senate, Health Funds Intact
Elements of an economic stimulus package that includes funding for health care programs cleared two Senate committees yesterday. California is projected to snag up to $14 billion for health care and education programs from the package. CongressDaily et al.
Opposition Mounts to Governor’s Plan To Shift Mental Health Funding
The California Mental Health Directors Association is calling on state lawmakers to reject Gov. Schwarzenegger’s proposal to tap into Proposition 63 funds for mental health services to help close the state budget gap. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
SEIU Takes Control of Local Health Care Workers Union
On Tuesday, the Service Employees International Union assumed control of United Healthcare Workers-West and removed local President Sal Rosselli and 100 other elected officials from office. The two groups have been fighting for months over organization and negotiating methods and how to best represent California health care workers. In a written statement late on Tuesday, UHW officials said they rejected SEIU’s trusteeship but did explain their options. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Big Drop Expected in Tax Revenue for Mental Health Care in California
The California finance department projects that revenue from Proposition 63 for mental health services will drop by hundreds of millions of dollars in the current fiscal year and drop further in the next budget year. The initiative raised the state income tax on high-income Californians. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
L.A. County Braces for Cutoff of State Funds for Health, Social Services
A plan to have the state delay some payments would force Los Angeles County to go without $1.4 billion for health and social services programs over the next seven months, county officials said. Meanwhile, the county is considering funding options for clinics. Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Researcher Questions Calls for ‘Hard Spending Cap’
Jean Ross, executive director of the California Budget Project, argues that adopting a “hard spending cap” as part of an effort to overhaul California’s budget process would have unintended consequences for Medi-Cal and other state efforts. Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program. Los Angeles Times.
San Diego Program Offers Support to Parent Caregivers
A San Diego program cares for children with serious medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, on weekends to give parent caregivers a break. It is the only program of its kind in the state. KPBS’ “KPBS News.”
United Healthcare Workers West Demands Secret Vote
Last week, the Service Employees International Union gave United Healthcare Workers West five days to agree to a merger in which 65,000 of its members would join members of two other California local unions to create a new local for long-term health care workers or be subject to trusteeship. In a letter to SEIU on Monday, UHW said it would agree to a merger only if its members were allowed to participate in a separate secret-ballot election, rather than a group mail-in vote. Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Business Journal.
Palo Alto Medical Foundation Wins Grant for Diabetes Study
The National Institute of Health awarded a $2.5 million grant to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s Research Institute to conduct a five-year study on diabetes and its risk factors among the six largest Asian ethnic groups in California. San Francisco Business Times.
L.A. City Attorney Wins Order Against Insurer in Rescissions Case
A superior court judge granted Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo a temporary restraining order barring Anthem Blue Cross of California from sending notices to former members as part of its settlement with the state Department of Managed Health Care. AP/San Francisco Chronicle.