Latest California Healthline Stories
Santa Clara County Mulls Medical Center Upgrade
On Tuesday, Santa Clara County supervisors voted to consider putting a general obligation bond to raise funds to upgrade Valley Medical Center on the November ballot. County Executive Pete Kutras estimates that the bond measure would have to total $840 million. San Jose Mercury News.
Health Plans Ready To Be Part of Health Reform Efforts
“Recent state health reform efforts indicate a changing dynamic in which health plans can be a valuable ally of coverage expansion efforts,” Bruce Bodaken, chair and CEO of Blue Shield of California writes in an opinion piece. He notes that in recent health reform efforts in Massachusetts and California, “health plans — rather than blocking coverage expansion — were among the leading advocates.” San Francisco Chronicle.
California To Create Drug Tracking Database To Reduce Rx Drug Abuse
The online database would give physicians and pharmacists immediate access to more than 86 million drug prescriptions. Under the current system, it takes the attorney general’s office a couple of days to fill requests for prescription data. AP/San Diego Union-Tribune, Contra Costa Times.
California Should Reinstate Funding for Public Hospitals
California’s “public hospitals simply cannot continue to sustain these” funding cuts, John Garamendi, California’s lieutenant governor, writes in an opinion piece. He urges “the governor and Legislature to take our hospitals off financial life support by reinstating their essential funding.” San Jose Mercury News.
S.F. Voters OK Measure To Rework Eligibility for Retiree Health Benefits
Most San Francisco supervisors backed the measure, which aims to rein in the city’s projected $4.2 billion unfunded liability for health care and other benefits for retired city workers. Nearly three quarters of voters supported the measure. San Francisco Chronicle.
Regulators Want To Close Sacramento Nursing Home
State regulators are trying to close Arden Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Sacramento because of poor conditions. Inspectors say the nursing home was responsible for the deaths of three elderly patients over the past three years, as well as 18 other violations. Arden Rehabilitation is fighting the state’s efforts. Sacramento Bee.
UC Medical Schools Win Praise for Conflict-of-Interest Rules
UC medical schools accounted for three of the seven A grades awarded to medical schools nationwide for their conflict-of-interest policies related to gifts and payments from drug makers. Two other California medical schools garnered B’s in the survey by a medical student group. San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times.
Ventura County Board Approves Funds for Health Care Programs
Children’s health care, mental health services and county clinics will receive the lion’s share of funds from Ventura County’s portion of tobacco settlement money that supervisors approved Tuesday. Additional funding will go to doctors who treat uninsured patients. Ventura County Star.
Hospitals To Auction Patients’ Unpaid Bill Accounts Online
Some hospitals have begun auctioning patients’ debt online to recoup unpaid medical bills. Debt collection agencies and other firms bid in online auctions to purchase the debt or provide guaranteed payments to gain access to the unpaid accounts. Consumer groups say the new tactic could put more pressure on patients with unpaid bills. Wall Street Journal.
Pelosi Turns to Silicon Valley Leaders for Help on Issues
At a Silicon Valley Leadership Group meeting on Monday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urged the audience to share ideas on how the country can boost health care and education, reverse global warming and rebuild U.S. infrastructure. San Francisco Chronicle.