Latest California Healthline Stories
House Plans To Vote on Kids’ Health Insurance Legislation Next Week
Democratic leaders plan to vote on a stand-alone bill to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program on Tuesday or Wednesday in hopes of having it ready to sign after President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. President Bush vetoed similar legislation in 2007. Dow Jones et al.
Health Care Challenges Await President-Elect, Congress
This week, PBS’ “NewsHour With Jim Lehrer” featured a three-part series on the health care challenges facing the new Congress and the Obama administration. The series included segments on the recession’s affect on consumers’ health care choices, the shortage of primary care physicians, and rising health care costs for small businesses and their employees. PBS’ “NewsHour With Jim Lehrer.”
Former Senior CMS Official Criticizes Medicaid Program
In an opinion piece, Scott Gottlieb — a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a former senior official at CMS — writes, “Accumulating medical data shows that Medicaid recipients’ poor health outcomes aren’t just a function of their underlying medical problems, but a more direct consequence of the program’s shortcomings.” He adds, “The troubling evidence about the quality of Medicaid patients’ services is a cautionary tale for Mr. Obama as he sets about to administer more of our health care inside government agencies.” Washington Post.
California Hospitals Report Mounting Financial Challenges
A new report from the California Hospital Association indicates that hospitals are seeing a jump in patients with problems paying their medical expenses at the same time that patients delay elective medical procedures that can be lucrative for hospitals. The report maintains that inadequate Medi-Cal and Medicare payments further hurt hospitals. Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Business Journal.
Scripps Health Acquires Escondido Medical Group
San Diego-based Scripps Health has acquired Penn Elm Medical Group, a private family practice in Escondido. Scripps spokesperson Don Stanziano declined to disclose the price of the purchase, which was finalized Jan. 1. San Diego Union-Tribune.
State Workers’ Union Puts Forward Plan as Part of Budget Efforts
The largest of the 21 labor unions that represent California state workers has put forward a plan to freeze health care contributions to help the state deal with the budget deficit. Gov. Schwarzenegger plans to meet with legislative leaders today about the budget. Capitol Weekly et al.
S.F. Chiropractor Sues Patient Over Negative Online Review
Steven Biegel, a San Francisco chiropractor, has sued a patient for libel and invasion of privacy over negative reviews published on Yelp, a Web site that rates businesses. If the case is not settled, a trial will begin in March in San Francisco Superior Court. San Francisco Chronicle.
Medical Helicopter Pilots Call on Hospitals To Boost Safety
In response to a nationwide increase in air medical crashes, the California Association of Air Medical Services is pushing California hospitals to improve air communications and hospital monitoring of helicopter landing sites. Sacramento Bee.
Legislation Introduced To Increase Tobacco Tax in California
Assembly member Tom Torlakson has offered a plan that would raise California’s tobacco tax to help fund programs for children, including health care, and tobacco prevention programs. Republican support would be needed for the bill to win approval. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Obama Says Changes to Entitlements Will Be Key To Efforts on U.S. Deficit
President-elect Barack Obama said that changes to Medicare, Social Security and other entitlement programs would play major roles in his administration’s efforts to tackle the federal budget deficit. He said more details would be available when he releases his first budget proposal in February. New York Times et al.