Latest California Healthline Stories
Clinic Chain Serving Fresno County Under Investigation
The California Attorney General’s office has launched an investigation into Medi-Cal fraud charges at Sequoia Community Health Centers, a chain of clinics in Fresno County that are going through bankruptcy proceedings. Fresno Bee.
Draft Regulation Could Limit Access to Birth Control
HHS is reviewing a draft regulation proposed by the Bush administration that would deny federal funding to any health care entity that does not allow employees to opt out of providing care that conflicts with their personal beliefs, such as providing birth control pills or Plan B emergency contraception. Washington Post.
U.S. Senate Panel Details Health Care Provisions of Economic Stimulus Plan
A draft proposal for a second economic stimulus package would include almost $800 million in grants for rural community facilities, including hospitals and clinics, and $500 million in NIH grants for research on cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and other conditions. CongressDaily et al.
California Official Warns of Senior Rx Drug Abuse
Renne Zito, director of the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Problems, is working to raise public awareness that seniors are susceptible to prescription drug abuse. She is encouraging patients to ask physicians more questions about their medications. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
San Francisco Takes Lead in Prohibiting Tobacco Sales in Pharmacies
San Francisco is the first city in the U.S. to ban tobacco sales in pharmacies, but a Walgreens official says that the company has not ruled out legal action. Health care advocacy groups are lobbying pharmacies nationwide to adopt a voluntary ban. San Francisco Chronicle.
Statewide Program Screens Newborns for Hearing Loss
John Muir Medical Center’s hearing coordination center won a contract to help coordinate a statewide program that screens newborns for hearing loss in Northern California. As of Jan. 1, all children born in California hospitals are required to have their hearing tested. Contra Costa Times.
Report Finds High HIV/AIDS Rate Among U.S. Blacks
If the U.S. black population were a separate country, it would rank 16th worldwide in the number of people living with the AIDS virus, according to a report released Tuesday by the Black AIDS Institute. Nearly 600,000 blacks are living with HIV, and up to 30,000 are becoming infected annually. New York Times.
Southern California Hospitals Hold Up Well in Earthquake
A hospital industry official said that no facilities in Southern California reported structural damage after yesterday’s earthquake centered near Chino Hills. Area hospitals said that they experienced minor disruptions but that medical services were not affected. Many hospitals still have work to do to meet state seismic safety rules. Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Times.
New Federal Legislation Aims To Ensure Access to VA Medical Facilities
A measure in the House would require each state to have access to at least one full-service VA medical facility or permit other health care providers to provide comparable services. The bill would require the VA secretary to detail how it affects patient care. AP/Boston Globe.
UC-San Francisco Adds New Infectious Disease Fellowship
Two new physicians have begun their training at UC-San Francisco’s medical education program in Fresno under a new fellowship in infectious diseases. The fellowship is intended to attract more doctors specializing in infectious diseases to the area. Fresno Bee.