Latest California Healthline Stories
Former PR Chief Charges Kaiser With Discrimination
In a new lawsuit against the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, former Kaiser Permanente Public Affairs Director Jeffery Sterman alleges that Kaiser discriminated against him as an HIV-positive gay man. Sterman is seeking punitive and compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits. San Francisco Chronicle.
Insurer Data Breach Results in Identity Theft for UC-Irvine Students
The identity thefts were revealed after students reported that fraudulent tax returns had been filed using their names and Social Security numbers. More than 1,100 graduate students who were members of a UnitedHealthcare plan were affected by the privacy lapse. Orange County Register.
Lawmakers Take Another Stab at Health Reform Efforts
California lawmakers are now trying to tackle health care reform through a series of smaller bills, according to an editorial. “It’s not surprising in an election year that legislators, including Republicans are tempted to appear to provide solutions for voters’ problems at someone else’s expense,” it states, adding, “But, in reality, creating benefits to be paid for by health care providers and insurers inevitably only drives up costs for consumers and consequently limits health care availability, rather than expanding it.” Orange County Register.
Physicians Not Responsible for Patients’ Character
When determining whether a patient should receive a particular organ transplant, physicians should not be considering “the intrinsic worthiness of the recipient as a human being,” Gerald Levey, vice chancellor of medical sciences and dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, writes in an opinion piece. He adds, “No physician should be making that judgment; to do so would be to impose a death sentence on some patients and besides matters of punishment are best left to the justice system.” Los Angeles Times.
California Cites, Fines Health Facilities After Patient Deaths
The California Department of Public Health has cited three health care centers and issued the most severe penalties allowed by state law after patient deaths at Gramercy Court in Sacramento, Atherton Healthcare in Menlo Park and Care Center of Rossmoor in Walnut Creek. Atherton Health Care and Care Center of Rossmoor are appealing the fines and citations, and Gramercy Court has until next week to file an appeal. AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
First Six Sites Announced for Telemedicine Project in San Joaquin Valley
The initial members of the Valley Telehealth Partnership use real-time video consultations with medical specialists at UC-Merced in fields including dermatology, psychiatry, pediatrics, endocrinology and gastroenterology. The equipment will be installed this summer. Stockton Record et al.
Walgreens To Pay $35M Over Drug Substitution Allegations
Walgreens has agreed to pay $35 million to the U.S. and participating state Medicaid programs over allegations that it substituted more expensive versions of prescribed drugs to increase Medicaid reimbursements. Eight states, including California, declined to participate in the settlement. Chicago Tribune.
Senate Approves $3T Budget Resolution for FY 2009
Yesterday, the Senate voted 48-45 to approve a $3.1 trillion fiscal year 2008 budget resolution, which includes large near-term increases in funding for defense and domestic programs and ignores cuts to Medicare and Medicaid proposed by President Bush. AP/Philadelphia Inquirer.