Latest California Healthline Stories
South L.A. Clinics Could Lose Funds To Shore Up Health Agency Budget
L.A. County supervisors will consider a budget for the county health department that appears to scale back funding initially targeted for public-private clinics in South Los Angeles. The clinics receive less funding per patient than other clinics in the county. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Law Professors Discuss Doctors’ Religious Rights
R. Alta Charo, professor of law and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin Law School, and Crispin Sartwell, professor of philosophy at Dickinson College — discuss the California Supreme Court’s ruling against two physicians who allegedly refused to provide artificial insemination services to lesbians. NPR’s “Talk of the Nation.”
California Legislature Drops Some Health Cuts From Budget
California lawmakers approved a budget that would maintain dental services for adult Medi-Cal beneficiaries and restore most of a 10% cut to Medi-Cal reimbursement rates beginning in March 2009. Nonetheless, health care advocates were critical of the proposal, and Gov. Schwarzenegger has raised the possibility of a veto. San Jose Mercury News et al.
Businessman Donates $30M to San Diego Stem Cell Group
T. Denny Sanford, a South Dakota businessman, is donating $30 million to San Diego’s stem cell consortium to fund embryonic stem cell research. The consortium will use the funding from Sanford and a $43 million grant from California’s stem cell institute to build a new research facility to be called the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Hospitals in L.A. County Applaud Response to Train Collision
Los Angeles County airlifted victims from the Metrolink crash site to hospitals throughout the county as part of an effort to avoid creating a backlog of patients at a single hospital. The plan was developed following a 2003 train crash that killed several people in Santa Monica. Los Angeles Times.
Palliative Care Programs Spreading in California
A report by the California HealthCare Foundation found that 90% of the state’s 111 palliative care programs have launched since 2000 and that 64% have launched since 2004. Sacramento had the highest percentage of hospitals with palliative care programs, while Orange County had the lowest. East Bay Business Times.
Hospitals Improve Work Conditions To Recruit, Retain Nurse Personnel
After offering higher salaries and recruitment bonuses, hospitals now are trying to improve working conditions for nurses in hopes of filling vacant positions. Hospitals have added new technology systems, offered flexible hours and covered the cost of additional training and education. Washington Post et al.
Opinion Piece Decries Proposition 4 as ‘Dishonest’
Proposition 4, which would require a parent or other adult family member to be notified before a minor undergoes an abortion, includes other provisions that do not directly address parental notification, according to Francesca Ratner, a volunteer for the campaign against a similar measure in 2006. She maintains that the ballot measure is “dishonest” and concludes that people “who use such ploys should not be allowed to rewrite the Constitution.” Los Angeles Times.
Proposed California Budget Forgoes More Health Care Cuts
Legislative leaders from both parties negotiated a budget deal over the weekend that would not increase taxes or use new borrowing to address the state’s estimated $15.2 billion budget deficit. A health care advocate warns that the deal doesn’t tackle the state’s structural budget problem and argues that health care programs could be jeopardized down the road. Los Angeles Times et al.
Insurance Chief Discusses Health Net Rescissions Deal
After announcing a settlement agreement with Health Net over its rescission of members’ health insurance coverage, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner joined Los Angeles Times reporter Marc Lifsher to discuss the settlement on a public radio show. KPCC’s “Patt Morrison.”