Latest California Healthline Stories
Report Finds Cuts Are Taking Toll on California Counties, Social Services
New research from the California Budget Project warns that Medi-Cal and other programs administered by counties for the state are being weakened because state funding is not keeping pace with rising costs. Oakland Tribune.
Federal, Los Angeles Officials Crack Health Care Fraud Ring
FBI agents raided three Southern California hospitals and made arrests in a case alleging that the hospitals were involved in an operation that recruited homeless patients so hospitals could fraudulently bill Medicare and Medi-Cal for medical services. Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo filed a civil action in the matter. Los Angeles Daily News et al.
Molina Healthcare To Acquire Florida NetPass for $42M
Molina Healthcare, a Long Beach-based managed care organization, plans to acquire Florida NetPass for $42 million in cash. Florida NetPass offers care management and administrative services to about 8,500 South and Central Florida residents. The deal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year. South Florida Business Journal.
Emergency Department Visits Up Sharply From 1996 to 2006, CDC Says
The number of visits to hospital emergency departments increased by 36% from 1996 to 2006, corresponding with about 200 ED closures nationwide. More than 70 hospitals have closed in California over that time period. As a result, wait times for treatment at EDs increased substantially. AP/Miami Herald et al.
State Officials, Advocates Warn of Improper Nursing Home Discharges
State officials and patient advocates elderly maintain that some nursing homes are pushing out residents who require costly or staff-intensive care, aiming to replace those residents with short-stay residents likely to generate more revenue. Wall Street Journal.
Emergency Fund Hits $24 Million for Loans for California Clinics
The California HealthCare Foundation is providing $10 million to help keep clinics afloat while Medi-Cal payments are on hold because of the deadlock over California’s budget. Funds could be disbursed as soon as next week. East Bay Business Times, Sacramento Bee.
Pfizer Inks Deal To Move Biotech Operation Into San Francisco
Pfizer’s biotech unit plans to occupy more than 100,000 square feet of space in a development near UC-San Francisco’s Mission Bay Campus. City officials say the development will have about six million square feet of commercial space for biomedical companies. San Francisco Business Times, San Francisco Chronicle.
Schwarzenegger Administration Details Exemptions to Pay Cuts
The Schwarzenegger administration called for exempting workers in the Department of Mental Health and other health, safety and environmental workers from pay cuts that the governor ordered last week. The administration also called for wages to be withheld from some doctors and other professionals until a state budget is approved. Legal action is expected over the pay cuts. Los Angeles Times et al.
Walk-In Urgent Care Clinics Becoming Popular Options for Health Care
Faced with long wait times in hospital emergency departments and for appointments with primary care physicians, more Americans are seeking care in walk-in urgent care centers. There currently are more than 8,000 such clinics in the U.S. Wall Street Journal.
Restaurant Association Sues Santa Clara County
The California Restaurant Association recently sued Santa Clara County over legislation that would require chain restaurants in unincorporated areas to put calorie information on their menus. The California Restaurant Association has filed a similar lawsuit against San Francisco, which adopted a similar measure earlier this year. San Jose Mercury News.