Latest California Healthline Stories
Aetna’s Q3 Profit Down 44% After Investment Losses
On Wednesday, Aetna reported a 44% drop in third-quarter net profit, largely due to investment losses. The health insurer also warned that the growth of its earnings and membership likely will slow next year. Hartford Courant.
Teenagers Offer Input on Parental Notification Measure
KPBS’ “KPBS News” asked California teenagers about their opinions on Proposition 4, which would require parental notification and a 48-hour waiting period for minors seeking an abortion. Voters twice have rejected similar parental notification measures, but a recent poll found that this year’s initiative has a slight lead among California voters. KPBS’ “KPBS News,” KPBS’ “These Days.”
State Concludes Investigation of Privacy Lapses at UCLA Hospitals
In its sixth report detailing patient privacy problems at UCLA Hospital System, the California Department of Public Health said a total of more than 1,000 patients’ records had been breached. The department launched the investigation after media reports about celebrities’ medical records being improperly accessed by UCLA staff. Los Angeles Times.
Army, Mental Health Agency To Study Suicide Risk Factors
On Wednesday, the Army announced that it plans to partner with the National Institute of Mental Health on a five-year, $50 million study to determine the causes and risk factors of suicide. The study is in response to the increasing rate of suicide among service members since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. New York Times.
Study: Hospitals Fall Short on Pain Control, Communication
A majority of patients are satisfied with the care they receive during a hospital stay but many are unsatisfied with communication and pain control, according to a Commonwealth Fund study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine. USA Today.
Schwarzenegger Warns of Cuts to Health Care, Other Social Services
Responding to reporters’ questions at a rally for the state ballot measure on redistricting, Gov. Schwarzenegger said that education, law enforcement, prisons, health care and other public services could be hit as lawmakers return to address a growing state budget deficit. Sacramento Bee.
Women Found To Pay Higher Health Insurance Premiums Than Men
Information from insurance companies and online brokers indicates that women pay higher premiums for the same health coverage as men of the same age. Health insurers maintain that women typically have higher health care expenses than men, but some advocates have dismissed that contention. New York Times.
Proposals for Health Care Reform Run the Gamut
Advocates from all parts of the political spectrum agree that the health care system needs to be reworked, but ideas about what kind of changes are needed vary widely. KPCC’s “Air Talk.”
Governor Supports Parental Notification, Hospital Bonds
On Wednesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released his positions on the 12 measures on the statewide ballot. The governor supports both Proposition 3 — which would authorize $980 million in bonds to fund the construction and expansion of children’s hospitals — and Proposition 4 — which would require parental notification and a 48-hour waiting period for minors seeking an abortion. Sacramento Bee.
Orange County Set To Dole Out More Than $1M for Anti-Tobacco Efforts
A 2000 county ballot measure requires 12% of its share of tobacco settlement funds to be used for tobacco prevention, cessation and other programs. Last year, the county funded smoking cessation programs for more than 1,200 adults. Orange County Register‘s “Healthy Living.”