Latest California Healthline Stories
Bush Administration Moves To Avoid Medicare Payment Cuts
Congress failed to approve legislation to avoid the payment cuts before the July 4th recess, prompting HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt to freeze Medicare reimbursement rates at their current level. Medicare payments to physicians are slated to drop by more than 10% beginning tomorrow. Washington Post et al.
California Hospitals Must Begin Disclosing Serious Errors to Regulators
In compliance with a 2006 disclosure law that mandates the reporting of 28 different types of preventable errors, California hospitals reported 1,002 adverse events between July 2007 and May 2008. State regulators have fined 10 hospitals $25,000 each for the adverse events. Los Angeles Times.
Enrollment Lags in Pilot Project in San Diego County; Funds at Risk
A federally funded program for low-income residents with high blood pressure and diabetes aimed to enroll more than 3,000 people by Aug. 31. Registration stood at 309 last week, raising the possibility of San Diego County losing some funds. San Diego Union-Tribune.
Kaiser Permanente Awards Community Benefit Grants
Stockton-area not-for-profit groups will share $738,000 in community benefits that Kaiser Permanente is scheduled to announce today. One program receiving funds aims to create a health education, prevention and outreach initiative for Southeast Asian residents. Stockton Record.