Latest California Healthline Stories
Senators Seek To Halt Pending Children’s Health Directive
On Thursday, a bipartisan group of 41 senators led by Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus and Health Subcommittee Chair Jay Rockefeller proposed a resolution bill to prevent a State Children’s Health Insurance Program policy directive issued last year by the Bush administration from taking effect next month. The senators say the directive is a Bush administration effort to discourage states from expanding SCHIP coverage. CongressDaily.
25% of U.S. Residents Say They Are Obese, CDC Reports
On Thursday, CDC said that 25.6% of U.S. residents reported being obese in 2007, up from 23.9% in 2005. The South reported the highest obesity rate at 27%, while the West reported the lowest obesity rate at 22.1%. Actual obesity rates likely are even higher because the figures are based on self-estimated measures. Sacramento Bee.
New Health Group Launches Budget Cuts Ad in Fresno
A new coalition of unions and health care advocates, called the California Health Care Partnership, announced yesterday that it plans to launch a television ad campaign in Fresno denouncing budget cuts. Sacramento Bee‘s “Capitol Alert.”
Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California Settle With State
The two were the last of California’s five largest health insurers to settle with the Department of Managed Health Care over rescinded policies. The settlements will not put an end to investigations by the insurance commissioner or lawsuits by the L.A. city attorney and individuals centering on rescissions. Los Angeles Times et al.
Court Drops Order, Lets Medi-Cal Pay Cut to Pharmacists Take Effect
The ruling comes less than a week after the same appeals court barred California from cutting Medi-Cal payments to pharmacists until at least August. State officials asked the court to overturn that order because of the state budget deficit and other issues. Los Angeles Daily Journal.