Latest California Healthline Stories
Google Launches New Tool To Track Spread of Flu Outbreaks
On Tuesday, Google’s philanthropic arm Google.org unveiled a new tool designed to help CDC combat flu. The tool, called Flu Trends, tracks the number of Google searches for flu-related terms to identify potential flu outbreaks. San Francisco Chronicle.
Prison Health Care Receiver Touts Prison Plan as Economy Booster
California prison health care receiver J. Clark Kelso said his prison health care construction plan would provide more than 60,000 construction jobs and create more than 20,000 permanent state positions. A spokesperson for Gov. Schwarzenegger dismissed the proposal. Sacramento Bee.
Senate Leader Aims for Universal Health Coverage Within 10 Years
U.S. Sen. Max Baucus’ plan includes elements of the health care proposal that President-elect Barack Obama offered during the campaign. The plans would expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and bar insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions. New York Times et al.
Health Plans, States Follow Medicare’s Lead on Errors
Several private insurers and states are following Medicare’s lead and no longer are covering treatment for infections caused by errors. Such payment changes could encourage hospitals to increase their focus on quality of care. San Diego Union-Tribune.
California’s Preterm Birthrate Better Than National Average
California scored a C in preterm birthrate, with a rate of 10.7%, according to a new March of Dimes report card. The country as a whole was rated a D, with a preterm birthrate of 12.7%. The national goal is to lower the preterm birthrate to 7.6%. San Francisco Chronicle.
Veterans’ Families Seek Compensation for Care
Some veterans’ families are seeking government compensation for caring for injured veterans. Under a bill introduced in the last session of Congress, families of soldiers with traumatic brain injuries would be paid for their caretaking after receiving training and certification by the Department of Veterans Affairs. VA opposed the bill because of liability issues. New York Times.
Health Care Slated To Take Hit in Sacramento County Spending Plan
Sacramento County supervisors are voting on more than $4 million in cuts to health and human services programs and expect state contributions for health care efforts to decline further. Proposals would reduce staffing and cut clinic hours. Sacramento Bee, Capital Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
WellPoint Pilot Project Slated To Cover ‘Medical Tourism’ Services
The health insurer plans to announce an initiative that will give some members the option of travelling to India for some nonemergency services. About 700 members who receive coverage through a Wisconsin firm will participate in the program, slated to launch in January. Indianapolis Star.
Military, VA Work To Address Rising Suicide Rates
PBS’ “NewsHour” examined how the military and Department of Veterans Affairs is addressing the rising suicide rate among service members. In recent years, suicides among active duty personnel have doubled, and multiple deployments might be contributing to the increase, according to the Army. PBS’ “NewsHour.”
S.F. Appeals Court Reinstates Lawsuit on Drug Side Effects
A San Francisco appeals court restored a woman’s lawsuit arguing that drugmaker Wyeth bears some liability for side effects of a generic version of one of its drugs. The suit argues that Wyeth downplayed potential risks in the brand-name treatment’s warning label. San Francisco Chronicle.