Latest California Healthline Stories
Growing Number of Men Act as Caregivers for Parents
An increasing number of men are taking the lead role in providing primary care for their elderly parents. The Alzheimer’s Association and the National Alliance for Caregiving estimate nearly 40% of family caregivers are men, up from 19% in a 1996 study by the Alzheimer’s Association. New York Times.
New Senate Chief Aims To Expand Kids’ Health Insurance
Darrell Steinberg is set to become Senate president pro tempore today. Steinberg plans early next year to work to expand health insurance for children in the state. Los Angeles Times.
Experts Say U.S. Health Care System Inefficient, Wasteful
CEOs of some of the top U.S. health care institutions say the U.S. health care system is inefficient and wasteful. The executives argue that shifting to a pay-for-performance model is critical to improving health care quality. Washington Post.
California Lawmakers Set To Have More Power in Congress
With President-elect Barack Obama set to take office and a Democratic majority in Congress, California lawmakers are in key positions to push initiatives to expand health insurance and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Los Angeles Times.
Obama Pick for Budget Post Has Health Care Background
President-elect Barack Obama tapped Peter Orszag to head the Office of Management and Budget. Orszag has advocated controlling Medicare spending, in part by cutting subsidies to HMOs and using the program’s purchasing power to negotiate prescription drug prices. Los Angeles Times.
Senior Services Take Hit in San Joaquin County Budget
On Tuesday, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved a round of mid-year budget cuts for the county Human Services Agency and Department of Public Health. The cuts will eliminate a program intended to keep seniors out of nursing homes and reduce staffing for the long-term care ombudsman program. Stockton Record.
Study Finds Drop in Percentage of Uninsured American Children
New research from Families USA indicates that approximately 11% of kids in the U.S. — about 8.6 million — are uninsured. California is home to about 1.3 million uninsured children, about 12.5% of the state’s kids. Texas has the highest percentage and highest number of uninsured children. Boston Globe et al.
New California Laws Could Spark Other States To Act on Privacy
Medical privacy laws that will take effect on Jan. 1 will toughen the penalties for breaches of medical records in California. Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the legislation after high-profile privacy and security lapses at UCLA Medical Center earlier this year. American Medical News.
S.F. Health Panel Asks Mayor To Waive Spending Cuts
On Tuesday, the San Francisco Health Commission asked Mayor Gavin Newsom to exempt the Department of Public Health from some mid-year budget cuts to help address San Francisco’s projected $125 million deficit. A spokesperson for the mayor said an exemption was unlikely. San Francisco Chronicle.
Statistics Show First-Ever Drop in U.S. Cancer Rates
Government data show that the incidence rates for all cancers dropped by about 0.8% each year from 1999 to 2005, the first time a drop in the incidence of cancer has been recorded in the U.S. California’s smoking bans and similar laws are credited with helping to drive the trend. Los Angeles Times.