Latest California Healthline Stories
Number of Staph Infections Increasing, Study Finds
UC-San Francisco researchers found that the number of U.S. cases of skin abscess and cellulitis that are often linked to antibiotic-resistant staph infections increased from 4.6 million in 1997 to 9.6 million in 2005, according to a study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Contra Costa Times.
Deaths From Mixing Meds, Alcohol Soar, Study Finds
The number of U.S. deaths resulting from mixing prescription or over-the-counter medications with alcohol or drugs has increased nearly 3,200% over the past two decades, according to a new UC-San Diego study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. San Diego Union-Tribune.
HMOs Could Pay Lower Fees to California Regulator Next Year
HMOs’ annual assessment to support the Department of Managed Health Care could drop next year because a state law applies fines collected by the department to its budget. As a result, recent large fines against insurers for rescissions could reduce what the health plans pay as an assessment next year. Gov. Schwarzenegger is supporting a change to the law. Sacramento Business Journal.
New Pharmacy School To Open in Rancho Cordova
A new pharmacy school set to open Aug. 25 in Rancho Cordova aims to help curb a nationwide shortage of pharmacists. The California Northstate College of Pharmacy has hired 15 faculty and eight staff members for the 80 accepted students. The school eventually could expand to more than 600 students and 80 faculty members. Sacramento Business Journal.
Bill Would Increase Costs, Uninsured, Senator Says
Sen. Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley) writes that a bill (AB 1962) that would require individual health insurance policies to cover maternity benefits would increase health care costs and the number of uninsured. According to Aanestad, a California Health Benefits Review Program analysis found that requiring policies to include obstetrical coverage would increase premiums by $74.5 million. American Thinker.
VA Fast-Tracks Expansion of California Health Facilities
The Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System has fast-tracked a reconstruction project at its Palo Alto and Menlo Park campuses. This fall, VA plans to begin construction on a 120-bed nursing home for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients at the Menlo Park campus and an 80-bed psychiatric facility at the Palo Alto campus, an official said. San Jose Mercury News.
Reserve Funds for Early Childhood Education, Health Effort Targeted
Two California senators are pushing to abolish the state’s First 5 program and use future tax revenue that would have gone to the program to help fund Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. Advocates say abolishing the program would hurt kids and families. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
California, U.S. Face Health Care Worker Shortage
The U.S. is facing a shortage of trained allied health professionals, including respiratory care practitioners, medical transcriptionists, radiographers and about 200 other professions that make up about 60% of all health care workers. California lags behind the rest of the U.S. in the number of allied health workers per capita. Los Angeles Times.
California Regulators’ Actions on Rescissions Draw Criticism
The Department of Managed Health Care has reached settlements with California’s five largest health insurers that will reinstate coverage for more than 3,000 former members. However, some attorneys maintain that the agreements go easy on insurers. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
Hospitals Adopt Design Guidelines To Curb Infections
California has not yet adopted the American Institute of Architects’ evidence-based design recommendations, but many hospitals in the state, including Kaiser Permanente facilities, have adopted the guidelines to reduce infection risk. Meanwhile, the Center for Health Design, a California research and advocacy group, is working with 50 state facilities to design safer hospitals. Los Angeles Times.