Latest California Healthline Stories
Hospital Bond Measure Would Cost Taxpayers $2B
A Sacramento Bee analysis found that Proposition 3, which would authorize $980 million in bonds for capital improvement projects at children’s hospitals, would cost taxpayers $2 billion. Meanwhile, an editorial urges voters to reject Proposition 3, arguing that the state cannot afford to take on more debt. Sacramento Bee, Los Angeles Daily News.
Not-for-Profit Hospitals Drawing Criticism for Moves Out of Cities
Not-for-profit facilities in Los Angeles, Detroit and other cities are closing hospitals that treat large numbers of uninsured patients and beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid, while opening new facilities in areas where more patients have private coverage. Wall Street Journal.
Funds for Stem Cell Research Fuel Construction Boom
The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine is providing more than $270 million toward construction projects for new stem cell research centers, while private groups are kicking in another $516 million. Concerns remain about the science that CIRM will fund. Contra Costa Times.
Kuehl Hits on Health Care in Review of Legislative Tenure
Outgoing Sen. Sheila Kuehl discussed how health care has risen in importance during her tenure in the Legislature. Kuehl is completing her final term in the Legislature because of term limits. Sacramento Bee.
California Regulators Expand Background Checks for Nurses
A newspaper investigation last week highlighted concerns about gaps in California’s licensing process for nurses, spurring California regulators to announce new rules requiring criminal background checks and fingerprinting. California licenses more nurses than any other state. Los Angeles Times.
Physicians Anticipate Cuts to Medicaid Payments Next Year
Physicians see the weak economy, increased state spending and reduced tax revenue for Medicaid programs as factors contributing to potentially lower Medicaid reimbursement rates in 2009. Meanwhile, a recent survey projects that enrollment in Medicaid programs will increase next year. Wall Street Journal‘s “Health Blog.”
Voters Consider Parental Notification Measure
A recent Field Poll found that 49% of likely voters support Proposition 4, which would require parental notification for minors seeking an abortion. The poll found that 41% of likely voters oppose the measure and 10% are undecided. Includes other coverage on Prop. 4. San Francisco Chronicle et al.
Opinion: McCain’s Health Plan Would Eliminate Risk-Sharing
Columnist Ronald Brownstein argues that the real concern about Sen. John McCain’s health care plan is not the taxes that employees would have to pay on their employer’s premium contribution as the Obama campaign has argued, but rather the elimination of risk and cost-sharing between the healthy and sick. National Journal.
State Nutrition Law Overrides San Mateo County Ordinance
San Mateo County chain restaurants will not have to display calorie information on menus for two more years because a state law supersedes stricter local ordinances. The county ordinance would have required more comprehensive nutrition information, affected smaller chains and taken effect sooner. San Mateo Daily News.
McCain Health Care Tax Credit Plan Could Cut Costs
An analysis by the Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center found that Sen. John McCain’s health care tax credit plan would save the average household $1,241 in 2009. However, McCain’s plan would tax consumers on the value of employer-sponsored health care, and critics of the plan argue that many people could have difficulty obtaining coverage. McClatchy/St. Paul Pioneer Press.