Latest California Healthline Stories
Effort To Develop Med School at UC-Riverside Wins $1 Million Donation
Riverside Medical Clinic has donated $1 million to the effort to develop a medical school at UC-Riverside. The gift is the ninth of at least $1 million that the effort has received, and it is the first from a medical group. UCR aims to raise $250 million for the medical school. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of October 10, 2008
Nurses at three Catholic Healthcare West facilities in Ventura County announced plans for a five-day strike later this month. Meanwhile, Hemet Valley Medical Center is set to continue operating its obstetrics unit, and a Sutter Health hospital laid out plans for a solar energy system.
Opinion: State Lawmakers Battle Over Health Care
In an opinion piece, Dan Walters writes that the state Senate’s rejection of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s health care reform plan has set “the stage for high-stakes political and legal battles.” He adds, “The net effect of an almost two-year exploration of the politics of health care, therefore, was virtually nothing.” Sacramento Bee.
Drop in Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage Continues
New research from the Economic Policy Institute found that the percentage of Americans covered by employer-sponsored health plans dropped for the seventh straight year in 2007. About 56% of Californians were covered through employers in 2006-2007, down from almost 60% in 2000-2001. Sacramento Business Journal.
Accelerated Nurse Training Programs Draw Students, Scrutiny
More accelerated nursing programs are springing up throughout the nation, but some people question whether the programs are adequately preparing students for careers in nursing. Moreover, a 2007 study raised concerns about how many students complete the programs. Los Angeles Daily News.
Questions Linger About Implications of Mental Health Parity Law
Supporters of a federal law that expands coverage requirements for mental health benefits say the bill will mark a shift in mental health treatment. However, some mental advocates worry that the law will prompt some businesses to drop mental health benefits because of cost concerns. Washington Post.
Proposition 3 Would Let Children’s Hospitals Expand
If voters approve Proposition 3 on Nov. 4, UC-Irvine Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Orange County could receive funding to expand. Meanwhile, an editorial urges voters to approve Proposition 3, which would authorize $980 million in bonds for not-for-profit and UC children’s hospitals. Orange County Register, Fresno Bee.
Analysis Projects Impact of McCain, Obama Plans on the Uninsured
Sen. John McCain’s health care proposal would reduce the number of Americans without health insurance by about 21.1 million by 2010, while Sen. Barack Obama’s plan would cut the number of uninsured by about 26.6 million, according to research by the Lewin Group. AP/Houston Chronicle et al.
Editorial Urges Voters To Reject Propositions 3, 4
An editorial recommended that Californians reject Proposition 4 — which would require parental notification and a 48-hour waiting period for minors seeking an abortion — and Proposition 3 — which would authorize $980 million in bonds to build and expand children’s hospitals. The editorial also offers endorsements for other state proposition on this year’s ballot. Sacramento Bee.
Credit Markets, Prison Health Care Pose New Budget Obstacles
California officials are preparing to seek $4 billion in short-term financing next week, a week after Gov. Schwarzenegger warned that the state might need a loan from the federal government if it couldn’t borrow through the U.S. credit market. Anticipating more spending for prison health care and a drop off in state revenue, the Legislature faces more work on the budget. Sacramento Bee et al.