Latest California Healthline Stories
Measure Aims To Help Californians Compare Health Insurance Options
The California Senate and the Assembly Health Committee have approved legislation that would require health plans to be classified in one of five categories in hopes of making it easier for consumers to differentiate among health insurance coverage options. Capitol Weekly.
Medicare Officials Announce New Nursing Home Rating System
CMS officials said they would meet with consumers and officials from the nursing home industry to develop criteria for the new ratings system. The ratings will reflect 19 quality measures, inspection reports and staffing information. Wall Street Journal et al.
Doctors’ Religious Rights Under Review in California
The California Supreme Court is considering a case asking whether physicians can decline to provide medical services to a specific group of patients based on the doctors’ religious beliefs. The case centers on a physician who declined to provide artificial insemination services to a lesbian. Washington Post.
S.F. Mayor Restores $9M for Health Services in Budget
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom plans to restore $9 million to health and human services programs after identifying miscalculations in his proposed budget. The new funding includes $1.2 million for a medical detox program, $500,000 for home-nurse visits and $200,000 for mental health services for the homeless. The Board of Supervisors has until the end of July to adopt a final city budget. San Francisco Chronicle.
New Survey Finds Costs Hinder Doctors’ Adoption of Electronic Records
Research in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that financial incentives to make the switch to electronic health records are inadequate for many small physician practices. Nonetheless, the survey found that many doctors are working to adopt the technology. USA Today et al.
Final Sacramento County Budget Spares Health Clinics
Three Sacramento County health clinics slated to close under a draft county budget were saved under the final $2.1 billion budget approved Wednesday by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. The additional revenue needed to spare the clinics came from delaying some computer purchases, lower-than-expected employee health premiums and reallocating funds. Sacramento Bee, Capitol Public Radio’s “KXJZ News.”
California Regulators Fine PacifiCare for Health Coverage Cancellations
Unlike four other insurers that were investigated for retroactively cancelling policies, PacifiCare canceled three patients’ coverage after suspecting fraud and stopped paying medical claims from that point forward. San Francisco Chronicle, Office of the Governor release.
State’s Physician Diversion Program Set To End July 1
When the Medical Board of California’s mental health and substance abuse diversion program for California physicians expires July 1, participating doctors will be divided into groups for continued treatment and monitoring under a transition plan. The changes are in response to a California State Auditor report and aim to boost patient safety. Capitol Weekly.
Privacy Advocates Commend Defeat of Rx Data Sharing Bill
Privacy advocates are commending the Assembly Health Committee for defeating a bill (SB 1096) that would have allowed California pharmacies to share patients’ drug records with pharmaceutical companies for mass mailing purposes. Supporters of the legislation maintain it was intended to remind patients to take their medications. San Francisco Chronicle.
Schwarzenegger Addresses Biotechnology Conference
Speaking at the annual BIO International Convention in San Diego on Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) praised the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, the state’s stem cell agency, and other state efforts to encourage biotechnology firms to locate in California. San Diego Union-Tribune, Office of the Governor release.